22 THE INVISIBLE WORLD 



The original speck may have been single or mil- 

 lions. It matters not. The different types and 

 forms are no doubt owing to the different kinds of 

 environment and the survival of the fittest. Long 

 intervals of time must have elapsed between its suc- 

 cessive stages, and long ages required for the com- 

 plete evolution of this Kingdom of Life. The place 

 in Nature may now be illustrated by Fig. 46. As 

 this shows, the root of all organic life springs from, 

 and is nourished in, the Mineral Kingdom. From 

 this root is first developed the Microbian Kingdom ; 

 and, then on the one hand, the Vegetable Kingdom, 

 on the other hand, the Animal Kingdom. The Mi- 

 crobian Kingdom thus lies below and between the 

 other two Kingdoms. 



