260 EVOLUTION OF TO-DAY. 



shown that these extraordinary variations may be 

 propagated truly even when the individual crosses 

 with unmodified forms. Indeed, the theory of sud- 

 den births succeeds in meeting nearly all of the 

 difficulties which we have enumerated in the pre- 

 ceding chapters, while at the same time it fills 

 equally well the necessities of the evolutionary 

 argument. 



This theory of Mivart is a sort of compromise 

 between evolution and special creation. It grants 

 the genetic connection of species, and is thus evolu- 

 tion; but it assumes this sudden and separate origin 

 according to unknown laws, and is therefore, in a 

 sense, a special-creation theory. Mr. Mivart's views 

 are brought forward with a clearness and force 

 seldom found in scientific writings, and can scarcely 

 fail to carry a certain amount of conviction. But it 

 cannot be considered that this theory is much more 

 satisfactory than the others. Unless his jumps are 

 enormous, such, for instance, as the sudden develop- 

 ment of the wing of the bat or the bird, no light is 

 thrown on the origin of complicated organs or the 

 absence of transitional links. Such jumps as these 

 even Mr. Mivart would hardly assume. Moreover, 

 the facts of classification, the relationship of species, 

 the many cases of fine gradations existing between 

 species, the impossibility of distinguishing species 

 and varieties, the arrangement of species into 

 groups and sub-groups, are facts which indicate that 

 in some instances at least species have arisen by 

 small steps. The idea of sudden jumps is not in 

 accordance with such facts. Mr. Mivart claims too 



