356 EVOLUTION, OLD AND NEW. 



" natural selection," or the fact that the fittest survive 

 in the struggle for existence, as though it were the 

 same thing as " evolution " or the descent, through the 

 accumulation of small modifications in many successive 

 generations, of one species from another and different 

 one. In the concluding and recapitulatory chapter of 

 the ' Origin of Species,' he writes : 



" Turning to geographical distribution, the difficulties 

 encountered on the theory of descent with modification 

 are serious enough ; " * and in the next paragraph, " As, 

 according to the theory of natural selection, &e." the 

 context showing that in each case descent with modi- 

 fication is intended. 



Again : 



" On the theory of the natural selection of successive, 

 slight, but profitable, modifications," f that is to say, on 

 the theory of the survival of the fittest ; while on the 

 next page we find " the theory of descent with modifi- 

 cation" and " the principle of natural selection," used 

 as though they were convertible terms. 



Again : 



"The existence of closely allied or representative 

 species in any two areas implies, on the theory of 

 descent with modification, &c. ;" f and, in the next para- 

 graph, "the theory of natural selection, with its contin- 

 gencies of extinction and divergence of character," is 

 substituted as though the two expressions were iden- 

 tical. 



This is calculated to mislead. Independently of the 

 fact that " natural selection," or " the survival of the 



* 'Origin of Species,' p. 406. f Ibid, p 416. J Ibid. p. 419. 



