SPECIAL CREATION OR DERIVATION? 



proceed from a general survey of any group of 

 animals or plants to a survey of the sub-groups 

 of which it is made up, we find the differences 

 constantly growing less numerous and less fun- 

 damental. The differences between the ox and 

 the lion are many and important — but be- 

 tween the various members of the order car- 

 nivora, between the lion and the wolf or the bear, 

 the differences are less. As we descend another 

 step, and compare lions with lynxes, jaguars, 

 leopards, and cats, which belong to the same 

 family, we find the points of divergence fewer 

 and less characteristic. Between wild and do- 

 mestic cats there is still less difference ; while 

 between the various breeds of the domestic cat 

 the distinctions are limited to superficial char- 

 acteristics of size, colour, and general intelli- 

 gence. Hence, when classifying contemporary 

 organisms of high development, naturalists are 

 never in doubt as to the class or order, and but 

 seldom as to the family ; while they are not 

 unfrequently in doubt as to the genus, and 

 are continually disputing as to the species or 

 variety to which a given form belongs. As we 

 descend in the scale of development, and go 

 back in geologic time, the determination of 

 genera becomes more and more difficult. Doubts 

 frequently arise with reference to family, order, 

 and class. And at last even the sub-kingdom 

 becomes doubtful, as is strikingly shown by the 

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