V.] SPECIFIC STABILITY. 139 



more than four-fifths died within the first few days, or at 

 latest weeks, ' without any obvious cause, apparently from 

 mere inability to live,' so that from five hundred eggs only 

 twelve chickens were reared. The early death of hybrid 

 embryos probably occurs in like manner with plants, at least 

 it is known that hybrids raised from very distinct species 

 are sometimer. weak and dwarfed, and perish at an early 

 age, of which fact Max Wichura has recently given some 

 striking cases with hybrid willows." 



Mr. Darwin objects to the notion that there is any 

 special sterility imposed to check specific intermixture and 

 change, saying, 20 " To grant to species the special power 

 of producing hybrids, and then to stop their further propa- 

 gation by different degrees of sterility, not strictly related 

 to the facility of the first union between their parents, seems 

 a strange arrangement." 



But this only amounts to saying that the author him- 

 self would not have so acted had he been the Creator. A 

 " strange arrangement " must be admitted anyhow, and all 

 who acknowledge teleology at all, must admit that the 

 strange arrangement was designed. Mr. Darwin says, as 

 to the sterility of species, that the cause lies exclusively in 

 their sexual constitution ; but all that need be affirmed is 

 that sterility is brought about somehow, and it is undenia- 

 ble that " crossing" is checked. All that is contended for 

 is that there is a bar to the intermixture of species, but not 

 of breeds ; and if the conditions of the generative products 

 are that bar, it is enough for the argument, no special kind 

 of barring action being contended for. 



He, however, attempts to account for the modification 

 of the sexual products of species as compared with those 

 of varieties, by the exposure of the former to more uniform 

 conditions during longer periods of time than those to which 

 varieties are exposed, and that as wild animals, when cap- 

 20 " Origin of Species," 5th edit., 1869, p. 314. 



