57 



we derive them from other species ? And what 

 proof is there for the non-existence of similar 

 species ? None that we can see except that 

 they are not to be found in the " tertiary amber 

 of the Baltic and Sicily." But surely, this can 

 not be regarded as a proof that such a species 

 never existed. Father Wasmann's argument 

 is based on three distinct assumptions, not one 

 of which holds good in reality. First, that we 

 have a complete acquaintance with all the fos 

 sils which the full geological record contains ; 

 secondly, that every species which ever existed 

 has become fossilized and that therefore in the 

 complete geological record we have an exact 

 inventory of all the species that have ever ex 

 isted upon the earth ; and thirdly, that in the 

 supposition that all forms have left fossil re 

 mains, those fossil remains have been preserv 

 ed. A failure in any one of these suppo 

 sitions renders extremely doubtful the position 

 assumed by Father Wasmann ; but there is 

 failure in all three. With regard to the first, 

 it is a truism to say that we have but a frac 

 tion of the geological record and consequently 

 only a mere fragmentary portion of its content. 



