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Ch. XXXIV.] 



TRANSMUTATION OF SPECIES. 



247 



bears a very near r 



esemblance 



1111 



term 



Bat this is not all whicli is usually 



^species; ' for tlie majority of naturalists agree with Linnseus 



from 



one 



stock have certain distinguishing characters in common^ 

 which will never vary, and w^hicli have remained the same 

 since the creation of each species. Lamarck proposed, 

 therefore, to amplify the received definition in the following 

 manner. ' A species consists of a collection of individuals 

 resembling each other, and reproducing their like by genera- 

 tion, so long as the surrounding conditions do not alter to 



'ms 



to vary.' 



In order to show the grounds for this limitation of the 

 word ^ species,' Lamarck entered upon the following line of 



argument : 



The more we advance in the knowledge of the 



different organised bodies which cover the surface of the 

 globe, the more our embarrassment increases to determine 

 what ought to be regarded as a species, and still more how 

 to limit and distinguish genera. In proportion as our col- 

 lections are enriched, we see almost every void filled up, 

 and all our lines of separation effaced! we are reduced to 

 arbitrary determinations, and are sometimes fain to seize 

 upon the slight differences of mere varieties, in order to 

 form characters for what we choose to call a species ; and 

 sometimes we are induced to pronounce individuals but 

 slightly differing and which others regard as true species, to 

 be varieties. 



The greater the abundance of natural objects assembled 

 together, the more do we discover proofs that everything 

 passes by insensible shades into something else ; that even 



remarkable differences are evanescent, and that 



more 



most 



for establishing distinctions, save ti 

 spects, puerile peculiarities. 



We find that many genera amon 



some 



and plants 



are of such an extent, in consequence of the number of 



them 



determination 



of these last has become almost impracticable. When 



