( 25) 
is the dominance of the subjective element. Thus he writes 
about his descriptive work on Cirrhipedes to Hooker, October 
12, 1849 :—‘T have of late been at work at mere species 
describing, which is much more difficult than I expected, and 
has much the same sort of interest as a puzzle has; but I 
confess I often feel wearied with the work, and cannot help 
sometimes asking myself what is the good of spending a week 
or fortnight in ascertaining that certain just perceptible 
differences blend together, and constitute varieties and not 
species. As long as Iam on anatomy I never feel myself in 
that disgusting, horrid, ewt bono, inquiring humour.” * 
On another occasion, when Darwin was anxious to ascertain 
the ‘‘ close species” in the North American Flora, and wrote 
for information to Asa Gray, he frankly adopted the sub- 
jective criterion in order to explain exactly what he meant. 
He wrote, June 8, [1855]:—“The definition I should give 
of a ‘close species’ was one that you thought specifically dis- 
tinct, but which you could conceive some other good botanist 
might think only a race or variety ; or, again, a species that 
you had trouble, though having opportunities of knowing it 
well, in discriminating from some other species.” t 
Asa Gray’s reply is also very interesting from the same 
point of view. He-wrote, June 30, 1855 :—“‘Those thus 
connected” [he had bracketed the “close species” in a list 
of the Flora], “ some of them, I should in revision unite under 
one, many more Dr. Hooker would unite, and for the rest it 
would not be extraordinary if, in any case, the discovery of 
intermediate forms compelled their union.” { 
Darwin was evidently in high spirits when he wrote the 
following passage which bears on the same subject. The 
“Origin”? had been published on November 24, 1859, and 
the whole edition of 1250 copies sold on the day of issue. 
On November 29 he wrote to Asa Gray :—‘ You speak of 
species not having any material base to rest on, but is this 
any greater hardship than deciding what deserves to be called 
a variety, and be designated by a Greek letter? When I 
* © Tife and Letters,” vol. i, p. 379. 
+ Ibid., vol. ii, p. 64. 
~ “More Letters,” vol. i, p. 421, Letter 324. 
