108 THE EVOLUTION OF LIVING BEINGS. 



„other species of Fringillidae, and some of the hy- 

 „brids are almost completely fertile ; but we have no 

 „evidence that any distinct breed has originated 

 „from such crosses. 



Gold-Fish, Hive-bees and Silk-moths. No definite state- 

 ments. 



Plants. 



Cereal plants. 

 Vol. I, p. 338. „Finally, every one must judge for 

 „himself whether it is more probable that the several 

 „forms of wheat, barley, rye and oats are descended 

 „from between ten and fifteen species, most of which 

 „are now either unknown or extinct, or whether they 

 „are descended from between four and eight species 

 „which may have either closely resembled our pre- 

 sent cultivated forms, or have been so widely diffe- 

 rent as to escape identification." 



Zea Mays. 



Vol. I, p. 338. „Botanists are nearly unanimous that 

 all the cultivated kinds belong to the same species". 



Cabbage. 

 Vol. I, p. 343. „Most authors believe that all the ra- 

 „ces are descended from the wild cabbage found on 

 „the Western shores of Europe, but Alph. de Can- 

 „dolle forcibly argues, on historical and other grounds, 

 „that it is more probable that two or three closely 

 „allied forms, generally ranked as distinct species, still 

 „living in the mediterranean region, are the parents, 

 „now all mingled together, of the various cultivated 

 „forms". 

 p. 344. „The other cultivated forms of the genus 



