128 ORGANIC EVOLUTION CONSIDERED 



related to the progenitor of the vertebrates, which 

 implied by the use which Eomanes makes of it, th 

 it is a still older form than Amphioxus, and it h 

 survived without progress through all the geologic 

 ages, and its present existence gives rise to the abo\ 

 named difficulties. 



In view of the existence of these " immense 

 archaic" forms through practically infinite time, wi 

 little or no change, it would be difficult to imagine 

 worse attempt to find the primitive vertebrate frc 

 which man has been evolved. 



Of course, we may be told that some of the mc 

 enterprising offspring of Amphioxus managed to pu 

 their way upward, producing finally the highest ver 

 brates and man, while the parent form endured u 

 changed. But the answer is that a parent form whi 

 has undergone no change through all geological tii 

 is not capable of producing offspring that can ma 

 unlimited progress, ending in man. 



The same kind of difficulty is met with everywh< 

 in the amimal kingdom, and especially among t 

 vertebrates. 



If we take Lampreys, which are probably the lc 

 est of living fishes, in order to find their first anc 

 tors, that closely resemble them as they now are, 

 would be compelled to go back to a period much 1 

 yond the oldest known fossil fishes in the Silurii 

 From that time to the present they have lived wi 

 out progress. 



It will be remembered that the oldest known fof 

 fishes were more highly organized than living La 

 preys, and consequently the latter must be referred 

 a stock of a more ancient date. 



The Cecilians, the lowest form of living Amphi 

 ans, present a similar difficulty. In general appearai 

 they are much like worms, and if the theory of evo 



