Permanence and Evolution. 27 



The agency, whatever it is, by which species, 

 varieties, etc., were formed, seems to have 

 been at work on this planet up to and during 

 the immediately post-tertiary period, and not 

 later, as far as we have grounds to believe. 

 Of what nature it was, what laws it followed, 

 why its manifestations have not been apparent 

 of late, whether it will ever wake up again, are 

 matters about which we know as little as about 

 whether its operations are limited to this planet, 

 or extend through any or all of the other globes 

 in the universe. The whole matter lies far 

 beyond our present ken. 



Now> speaking with only slight exaggera- 

 tion, we may say that no facts have been 

 alleged in favour of the origination of new 

 specific or race characters at the present day. 

 I do not mean only that no such instance has 

 been proved. I say almost none has been 

 alleged. It has been said that there are these 

 and the other domestic breeds, and that it is 



