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evolution theory themselves, we find that the 

 assumptions on which Father Wasmann's 

 "proof" is based are wholly without founda 

 tion. First, our geological record as known to 

 us gives but a mere fragment of the complete 

 geological record as it exists in its discovered 

 and undiscovered form ; secondly, the forms of 

 life that have been fossilized are but a fraction 

 of the forms that have existed in past time ; 

 and thirdly, even those that have become fos 

 silized and are preserved (though mostly yet 

 undiscovered), bear no proportion to the rec 

 ords that have been destroyed by the action of 

 igneous rocks, by the action of chemical dis 

 solvents, and by other known and unknown 

 causes. What then are we to think of Father 

 Wasmann's conclusion from paleontology? 

 What are we to think of his expressions "we 

 can hardly avoid coming to the conclusion" 

 and "we are forced to assume" that because 

 no ancestors have found for these specific ants, 

 we have therefore come upon a case of evolu 

 tion ? In the face of the facts and conditions 

 which we have just seen it seems a little pre 

 mature to maintain that such ancestors never 



