PALEONTOLOGY SINCE CUVIER. 47 



vagueness remains in spite of his admitting the 

 fact that at one time life began on earth. For, 

 according to Cuvier, the varieties that are depen- 

 dent upon time, climate and domestication, remain 

 within a given boundary, while the species show 

 certain characteristics which resist every kind of 

 influence, and are as little affected by time as by 

 climate and domestication. Hence he directly 

 opposes Lamarck's theory of descent, i.e. that the 

 fossil forms are the ancestors of those of the present 

 day. His main argument is the want of fossil 

 intermediate forms, ' for,' he adds, * if the species 

 had changed gradually, we should find traces of 

 these gradual transformations ; we should find some 

 transition-forms between the Palaeotherium and the 

 species of the present day, and these have mean- 

 while not been met with.' 



Cuvier therefore did not, as many have sup- 

 posed, hold fast to the belief in a supernatural cre- 

 ation from any preconceived opinion ; he was more 

 disposed to leave the problem as to the origin of 

 animal forms in uncertainty, as facts did not seem 

 to admit, meanwhile, of any safe conclusion. It is 

 therefore very intelligible that one of Cuvier 's last 

 and still living pupils the eminent palaeontologist 

 and zoologist, Kichard Owen should straightway 

 have accepted the theory of natural descent (under 



