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investigation of the question. He noticed some suggestive 
generalizations in animal and vegetable physiology as account- 
ing for individual forms, and Von Bazr’s law of embryonic 
development as pointing to genetic relations. It was not 
however till the publication of Darwin’s theory that a vera 
causa had been suggested for genetic relations in detail: and 
he maintained that the remarkable changes of form in pigeons, 
dogs, and horses, which breeders had realized, must have its 
analogy—probably on a much larger scale—in the operations 
of nature in the wild state. Since 1859 the opinions of com- 
petent observers had ranged themselves under three tolerably 
distinct classes ;—first, that of those who advocated what 
might be called, by geological analogy, catastrophic views; 
secondly, that of evolution generally, without the preponderance 
of any particular agency: and thirdly, that of Darwinism, 
properly so called. He thought it very important to observe 
the limits which Darwin himself assigned to the influence of 
Natural Selection, and to the distinction between that doctrine 
and evolution generally, which was not compromised by the 
rejection of Natural Selection, as a sufficient explanation of 
the aspects of nature. 
Following the lead of Sir Grorce Mrvarr, the writer of the 
paper gave a summary of the chief grounds on which the 
Darwinian doctrine was contended for, and of the very for- 
midable difficulties in the way of its reception which the first 
of these writers (himself an Evolutionist) Mr. Murpny and 
others had alleged. Some points of the discussion were illus- 
trated by the persistence of genera and species in neighbouring 
geological horizons, and opinion was invited as to whether 
their rise or disappearance could in any way be associated with 
Natural Selection. 
The reading of this paper was followed by a very lively 
discussion, in which Dr. Wricut, Mr. Wircnett, Mr. Lucy, and 
the President took part; Dr. Wricut, in an eloquent speech 
declaring himself an opponent of evolution. 
The general concurrence of all the modern leaders of scien- 
tific thought in favour of evolution in some form finds its 
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