228 SYSTEM OF LIVING FORMS. 



early geological periods. From his remark's on this subject, 

 I submit the following quotations : 



" Embryology," says he, " by the metamorphoses which 

 take place in animals, assigns now a value to external forms, 

 and not only assigns them a value, but a chronological value, 

 by which it is possible to consider as lower those animals 

 which agree with the earlier forms of the germs." . . ... . 



" The class of fishes which I have studied more particularly, 

 has shown me that the first types appeared under forms, and 

 with an organization, peculiar to embryos of that very class in 

 the present epoch, proving thereby, with perfect evidence, the 

 inferiority of the first created types, as well in their peculiar 

 class as in their department. But though of a lower order, 

 these types of ancient ages bore in themselves, from the be- 

 ginning, the impression of the plan that was to be successively 

 developed in the different epochs which have preceded the 

 order of things existing at present, and by whose 'realization 

 have been brought about those numerous families of Fishes, 

 Eeptiles, Birds, and Mammalia, which now live upon the sur- 

 face of the earth." Again : " All the information about the 

 fossils all the information of former ages, will have to be 

 compared with those embryonic forms, in order to understand 

 more fully the analogy which exists between these earlier 

 types, and the successive changes which those of our day un- 

 dergo to assume their final form. If I am not mistaken, we 

 shall obtain from sketches of those embryonic forms, more 

 correct figures of fossil animals than have been acquired by 

 actual restoration."* 



These extracts from one who is an advocate of the idea of 

 creations de novo at different geological epochs, certainly argue 



* Agassi's " Lectures on Comparative Embryology," delivered before the Lowell In- 

 stitute. Boston. Lee. xii. 



