14S THE GENESIS OF SPECIES [Chap. 



Huxley,^ has been noticed in tlie third chapter of this 

 work. The learned Professor has (as also has Professor 

 Cope in America) shown that in very important and 

 significant points the skeletons of the Iguanodon and of 

 its allies approach very closely to that existing in the 

 ostrich, emeu, rliea, &c. He has given weighty reasons 

 for thinking tliat the line of affinity between birds and 

 reptiles passes to the birds last named from the Dinosauria, 

 rather than from the Pterodactyles (through Archeopteryx- 

 like forms) to the ordinary birds. Finally, he has thrown 

 out the suggestion that the celebrated footsteps left by 

 some extinct three-toed creatures on the very ancient sand- 

 stone of Connecticut w^ere made, not, as hitherto supposed, 

 by true birds, but by more or less ornithic reptiles. But 

 even supposing all that is asserted or inferred on this 

 subject to be fully proved, it would not approach to a 

 demonstration of specific origin by minute modification; 

 for though the facts harmonize well with " !N'atural Selec- 

 tion," they are ecjually consistent with the rapid and sudden 

 development of new si)ecific forms of life. Indeed, Professor 

 Huxley, with a laudable caution and moderation too little 

 observed by some Teutonic Darwinians, guarded himself 

 carefully from any imputation of asserting dogmatically 

 the theory of " Xatural Selection," while upholding fully 

 the doctrine of evolution. 



But, after all, it is by no means certain, though ver}^ 

 probable, that the Connecticut footsteps were made by 

 very ornithic reptiles, or extremely sauroid birds. And it 

 must not be forgotten that a completely carinate bird (the 

 Archeopteryx) existed at a time when, as yet, we have no 

 evidence of some of the Dinosauria having come into being. 

 ^ See also the Popular Science Review for July 18G8. 



