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that of the legislators who, very properly, enacted laws about 

 the size of the fourpenny loaf. In a certain sense of course they 

 are perfectly right. The term species is applied to a particular 

 kind of thing, not any more definable perhaps, than humor, but 

 about as easily recognizable in the majority of instances. It is 

 not permissible to call anything humor, or species, at random ; 

 but it must be recognized that these names do stand for realities, 

 and that in either case these may be genuine enough, and yet 

 overlooked by the majority of persons. If a species were not a 

 real thing, a segregated object related to, but discrete from others 

 such objects in a complex and wonderful world, all our discus- 

 sion would be relatively meaningless ; and those would be right 

 who should urge that we occupy our minds with something more 

 profitable. 



While it is doubtless true that every taxonomist has good 

 reason to complain of the conduct of all his colleagues, it seems 

 possible, at least, that much of the lamentation which so fre- 

 quently falls upon our ears is the result of mere inertia. Take 

 the genus Crataegus, cited everywhere as a horrible example. In 

 the old days, Crataegus was easy ; the " species " were few, and 

 had easily recognizable characters. If we could proceed with- 

 out taking any account of the facts of nature the old system 

 would have much to commend it — at least for those who prefer 

 uniformity to variety, dullness to incident. We know to-day that 

 American Cl^ataegus, like the Riibus and Hieracunn of Europe, 

 is wonderfully polymorphic ; and the study of this multitude of 

 stars of the eighth magnitude offers as interesting and profitable 

 work for the evolutionist as he could well desire. I have com- 

 pared the species of Crataegus with minor stars, and the com- 

 parison is I think apt. They are separable entities, but of differ- 

 ent grade of magnitude from ordinary species ; amateur astrono- 

 mers, as amateur botanists, may from preference or necessity 

 confine their attention to the more visible units ; but neither the 

 science of astronomy, nor that of botany, has any right to such 

 limitations. 



As we gain knowledge, we see more and more clearly that 

 " species " are of various grades and kinds : and it is eminently 



