THE DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES. 217 
There is a struggle for existence between words as 
among animals. For example, the words deginz and com- 
mence, Saxon and French, are in the English language 
constantly brought into competition. The fittest, the 
one that suits English purposes best, will at last sur- 
vive. If both have elements of fitness, the field will be 
divided between them. The silent letters in words tell 
their past history, as rudimentary organs tell what an 
animal’s ancestry has been. This analogy, of course, 
is not perfect in all regards, as the passing of words 
from mouth to mouth is not homologous with the gen- 
eration of animals. 
We may illustrate the formation of species of ani- 
mals by following any widely used word across Europe. 
Thus the Greek aster becomes in Latin and Italian 
stella ; hence the Spanish estrella and the French éovle. 
In Germany it becomes Stern, in Danish Sern ; whence 
the Scottish starz and English star. 
In like manner, the name cherry may be traced from 
country to country to which it has been taken in culti- 
vation. Its Greek name, Kerasos, becomes cerasus, cere- 
sta, certso, cereso, cérise, among the Latin nations. This 
word is shortened to Kzrsch and Kers with the people of 
the North. In England, cherys, cherry, are obviously de- 
rived from cérise. 
The study. of a fauna or a flora as a whole is thus 
analogous to the study of a living language. The evo- 
lution of a language corresponds to the 
history of the life of some region. Phi- 
lology, systematic zoology, and botany 
are alike intimately related to geography. The spread 
of a language, like the spread of a fauna, is limited by 
natural barriers. It is the work of civilization to break 
down these barriers as limiting the distribution of civi- 
lized man. The dominant languages cross these barri- 
A fauna like a 
language. 
