REVERSION, NOT A LAW, SUI GENERIS. 121 



an organism is normal, only when it has all of the 

 positive characters of its species to coordinate; and, is 

 impaired, proportionally, when there is any disintegra- 

 tion, or loss or reduction of any of the characters of 

 the given species; are necessary inferences from the 

 following assertion : 



"This subject has been here noticed, because we 

 may infer, that when any part or organ is either greatly 

 increased in size, or wholly suppressed, through varia- 

 tion and continued selection, the coordinating power 

 of the organization will continually tend to bring all 

 the parts again into harmony with each other" (p. 355, 

 Vol. ii, Animals and Plants, &c). 



Had Darwin adhered to this principle, in his treat- 

 ment of the facts of variation, and of breeding, he 

 would never have propounded a theory of the evolu- 

 tion of the species, from one another. For, it shows 

 that, with each species, there is a certain ratio of 

 development of its several characters, which cannot 

 normally be varied from. How was it possible for 

 him to be apprised of this principle, and yet fancy that 

 each variety (of the Pigeon, for instance) could 

 normally and safely diverge, as it has, both through 

 having a part, or organ which constitutes its peculiarity, 

 greatly increased in size ; and by having others wholly 

 suppressed ? and, how could he ignore the facts, that 

 the evil results of close-interbreeding, in the pigeon, 

 are due to this very disproportionate development, and 

 that the good, which results from crossing, is due to 

 the parts again being, measurably, brought into har- 

 mony with each other? Are not the varieties of the 

 11* 



