DEFICIENCY OF TRANSITIONAL FORMS. 147 
are ina phase of relative stability. That for this reason 
their intermediate forms must be looked only for in the 
past, is as little surprising ; it in no way impugns the 
truth of the doctrine of Descent ; and the demand for 
intermediate forms between these local and temporarily 
stable forms merely proves how little those who make it 
have appreciated the nature of Descent. 
But the objection mainly concerns those intermediate 
forms by. which the species are connected with the 
aboriginal species preceding them in order of time. 
According to the theory, the species now living are 
connected with the aboriginal species by forms identical 
in quality with varieties, the “species in process of 
formation ;” the. aboriginal species with others. still 
more ancient, and so on; so that an infinite number 
of forms must have existed. We have already shown 
(p. 97, &c.) that in an excess of zeal paleontologists have 
set.up species, also to be reckoned by thousands, where 
merely transitional forms and varieties actually existed ; 
we have: mentioned that a number of distinguished 
palzontologists of the present day are endeavouring to 
remedy the errors of their predecessors, and to exhibit 
the uninterrupted transitional series from the lower to 
the more recent strata, where the others with lavish in- 
genuity imagined they had discerned specific characters. 
Still it must be admitted that the amount of transitional 
forms as yet actually found are a vanishing quantity, 
as compared with the countless multitude which must 
have existed. ' ne 
- But this deficiency may be satisfactorily explained. We 
know only a very small proportion of the fossiliferous 
strata, and, with as much justice as Lamarck in the be- 
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