11. PERaiANENCE OF SPECIES. 58 



inferred from the past, the present species will in their 

 turn give place to different species of the future. 



Geological researches have hitherto failed to explain 

 how this change of species has been accomplished be- 

 tween the past and the present. And it cannot be said 

 that we now detect in current events any satisfactory 

 clue, sufficient either to explain the past changes, or to 

 point out the future changes in expectancy. But it is 

 equally true, that the facts and events of the present 

 time, when looked upon from this difficult point of view, 

 do not warrant an assertion, that the past species have 

 not themselves been gradually changed into the present 

 different species. The facts and events of the present 

 time have hitherto not been studied with that exactness 

 and freedom from bias, which are necessary for an inves- 

 tigation so delicate and difficult. And the ^last records 

 of similar facts, even those of very recent date, are usu- 

 ally found to be too inexact for reliance, when carefully 

 examined with reference to their bearing upon this 

 question. 



The ideas of Lamarck, to the effect that species can 

 and do metamorphose into each other, have been much 

 and often commented upon. In some few instances 

 they have been critically examined in a just and truthful 

 manner. More frequently they have been misunderstood 

 by shallow reasoners, or misrepresented by unscrupulous 

 writers. Unfortunately, most of the just and truthful 

 examiners, competent to reason on natural phenomena, 

 have not been sufficiently conversant with the technical 

 details of zoology and botany, and have gone astray for 

 want of that special knowledge. Perhaps it would not be 

 erroneous to name Sir Charles Lyell as an example of 

 the truth- seeking reasoners, not familiar enough with 

 special zoology or botany, to steer his way quite correctly 



