SUCCESSION OF FISHES. 393 



specimen of fossil or living fish, whether ma- 

 rine or fresh-water, that has not been created 

 with reference to a special intention and a 

 definite aim, even though we may be able to 

 detect but a portion of these numerous rela- 

 tions and of the essential purpose. 



Are the present fishes superior to the older 

 ones ? As a general proposition, I would say, 

 no ; it seems to me even that the fishes which 

 preceded the appearance of reptiles in the 

 plan of creation were higher in certain char- 

 acters than those which succeeded them ; and 

 it is a strange fact that these ancient fishes 

 have something analogous with reptiles, which 

 had not then made their appearance. One 

 would say that they already existed in the 

 creative thought, and that their coming, not 

 far removed, was actually anticipated. 



Can the fishes of the Old Red be considered 

 the embryos of those of later epochs? Of 

 course they are the first types of the verte- 

 brate series, including the most ancient of the 

 Silurian system ; but they each constitute an 

 independent fauna, as numerous in the places 

 where these earlier fishes are found, as the 

 present fishes in any area of similar extent 

 on our sea-shore to-day. I now know one 

 hundred and four species of fossil fish from 



