The Zoologist — September, 1868. 1345 



Tlie Death of Species. By Edward Newman. 



" Je ne change qu'en mourant." 



I was taught, and from my earliest years accepted the teaching, 

 that every living being was created perfect of its kind ; and this view 

 I maintained with unwavering faith until the appearance of Mr. Dar- 

 win's 'Origin of Species,' when a second view, entirely antagonistic 

 to the first, was presented to my mind, since this distinguished and most 

 accomplished naturalist contends, and attempts to prove, that the 

 present status of Species results from innumerable infinitessimal im- 

 provements accumulated during countless ages that have past. Now 

 while I admire more than I can express, the research and candour of 

 the author, I fail entirely to perceive the logic of his conclusions; and 

 I revert, as it were of necessity, to the teachings received in my child- 

 hood, not only fully believing in the original perfection of species, 

 but also that the tendency of a prolonged existence is rather to dete- 

 riorate than to improve. A species like an individual appears to me to 

 have an allotted term of life, which under very favourable circumstances 

 may be prolonged ; but I also believe that decay is the necessary con- 

 comitant of the prolongation, and death the inevitable issue. 



Seeing that Mr. Darwin has, in his very title, employed the 

 word " Species," it seems as though I had no choice but to adopt it 

 when expressing opinions on his labours, or in connection with his 

 labours ; and seeing also that some diversity may exist in the inter- 

 pretation of that term, I may perhaps be excused if I say a few words 

 in explanation, at least so far as giving it my own interpretation. It 

 would perhaps be easier to shirk the question, " What is a species ?" 

 on account of the difficulty of finding a reply, but it were more honest 

 to look the difficulty, if it be one, full in the face, and give such ex- 

 planation as I can. I conceive, then, a "species" to be composed of 

 such living individual beings as possess perfect eugenism among 

 themselves ; that is, of individuals any pair of which can reproduce 

 their kind, the descendants being equally prolific ; and I conceive also 

 that all structural characters, whether of form, size or colour, are in- 

 sufficient to the differentiation of species ; not useless, but insufficient. 

 As an example, our domestic dogs and pigeons may vary almost 

 infinitely in their structural characters, but no naturalist has ever 

 ventured to raise such varieties to the rank of species. Nothing is 

 more common in Entomology than for a species of insect to pass 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. III. 2 T 



