130 SPECIES NOT 



that change, which must have occurred between 

 these families during the immensity of time they 

 were being modified into different species from 

 one form? Mr. Darwin says they have become 

 extinct in the "struggle for existence." Where 

 again, we ask, are the evidences of this where 

 their remains? He answers, I cannot say; they 

 are lost in the "imperfection of the geological 

 record !" 



Well satisfied with this explanation, Mr. Darwin 

 proceeds to answer another objection equally grave. 

 "In the intermediate region, having intermediate 

 conditions of life, why do we not now find closely- 

 linking intermediate varieties?" (Page 174.) 



Mr. Darwin gives up the attempted explanation, 

 by the supposition of our continents having been 

 islands in geological time, and thus centres of 

 distinct species, "without the possibility of inter- 

 mediate varieties existing in the intermediate 



zones." 



But I confess that I think the explanation 

 upon which he relies is infinitely less defensible. 



It is given in language somewhat confused 

 and unintelligible, but is in substance; that 

 species exist now in a wide area, that they be- 

 come somewhat abruptly rarer and rarer on the 

 confines, and finally disappear. Hence there is 

 a narrow neutral territory between two represen- 

 tative species. This view is supported by the 

 authority of Alph de Candolle and Edward Forbes. 

 Mr. D. considers that this is not due to physical 

 causes alone, but that as one animal lives upon 



