150 NATURE STUDIES. 



the origin of the highest forms : " Thus we have 

 given to man a pedigree of prodigious length, but not, 

 it may be said, of noble quality. The world, it has 

 often been remarked, appears as if it had long been 

 preparing for the advent of man; and this, in one 

 sense, is strictly true, for he owes his birth to a long 

 line of progenitors. If any single link in this chain 

 had never existed, man would not have been exactly 

 what he now is. Unless we wilfully close our eyes, 

 we may, with our present knowledge, approximately 

 recognise our parentage ; nor need we feel ashamed of 

 it. The most humble organism is something higher 

 than the inorganic dust under our feet ; and no one 

 with an unbiassed mind can study any living creature, 

 however humble, without being struck with enthusi- 

 asm at its marvellous structure and properties/' 



PART VL SUMMARY. 



I PURPOSE in this concluding article to direct atten- 

 tion to the very interesting, and at the same time 

 astonishing, facts in favour of evolution which recent 

 researches amongst extinct and fossil Mammalia (or 

 Quadrupeds) have brought to light. The quadruped 

 class presents us with a large and varied array of 

 animal forms ; and it is therefore needful that at the 

 outset we should endeavour to gain some plain ideas 

 respecting the arrangement of the class into " orders." 

 These latter are the subordinate groups into which 

 every " class " of animals is primarily divided. To 



