208 



THE DOCTRINE OF DESCENT. 



begins its development as a Nauplius; whereas all the 

 other members of the order, as far as they are known, 

 leave the egg in the higher Zoea phase (p. 50). As of 

 the hundreds of stalk-eyed crabs, scarcely a dozen have 

 been hitherto examined as to their development, it will 

 not be doubted that, with regard to the Nauplius phase, 

 some resemble the Peneus of the Brazilian coast. But 





FIG. 17. Axolotl, 



even were this case to prove unique in the order, it 

 would suffice as a living witness of the connection be- 

 tween the presence of the decapods and the primordial 

 crabs. There can be no other view of this subject. The 

 Nauplius phase in the development of the Peneus is either 

 a shinfng testimony in favour of the doctrine of Descent, 

 or a senseless paradox. 



After what has gone before, the transformation of the 



