184 Scientific Sophisms. 



leet leaves a master-group, palpably supreme 

 in framework and ground-plan over three other 

 groups the Articulate, the Convolute, and the 

 Radiate between which and the master-group 

 the BARRIER OF BACKBONE stands impassable ; 

 at least till it is explained how a butterfly could 

 become a bird, or a snail a serpent, or a star- 

 fish acquire the skeleton of the salmon or the 

 shark. It is like the going forth of a Divine 

 decree : ' One shall be taken, and three shall be 

 left.' 



"The second leet, Sub-vertebrates out of 

 view, takes account of Vertebrates themselves 

 as Mammals or Sub-mammals. Among the 

 elect it makes an inner election. Besides the 

 Backbone it exacts the Breast ; shedding off, 

 as before, three well-marked groups subordinate 

 to the master-group of Mammals or Sucklers. 

 These breastless tribes are Birds, Reptiles, and 

 Fishes ; holding high, low, and medium rank 

 among themselves, not so much on the principle 

 of skeleton, or its specialized offshoots, as on 

 that of characters which are correlated to the 

 development of care for their young. . . . 

 Still the Mammal, by its endowment of the 

 fostering bosom, stands elect, aloft, and apart 

 Bird, Reptile, Fish, far beneath in the scale ; 



