PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 11 



characters, whereby the species of any given genus are distinguished 

 from each other ; in other words, these constitute their specific cha- 

 racters. The only inference then, which, in such circumstances, we 

 could possibly come to, is, that a given species may grow to the size 

 of a neighbouring species, and assume its proportions, its hair, colours, 

 &c. ; but the system would be crumbled to a nullity if it was refused 

 to admit that the change of one species of the same genus may take 

 place ; it requires the transition of one genus into another genus, of 

 one order into another one, and of one class also into another class, 

 and it is in the existence of this very transition, which is made out 

 from the individual facts, that have been just recognised by us, and 

 also characterised. Hence, has arisen the tendency of certain persons 

 to detect analogies between facts, when really nothing of the sort 

 subsists ; also, on account of this does it happen, that analogies are 

 sought between the organs of the lowest order, characteristic of the 

 species, and the organs of the highest order, characteristic of ge- 

 nera, orders, or classes ; that is to say, between organs which are en- 

 dowed with no sort of influence for limiting the conditions of animal 

 existence, and those on which these conditions essentially depend. In 

 a word, as we have already observed, the conclusion on this occasion 

 has been carried beyond the confines of the premises, and conse- 

 quently the result is, that the reasoning adopted is false. 



It now remains for us to determine whether or not the system of 

 the transformation of species receives more support than it has from 

 the facts just stated, in the important discovery to which we have al- 

 ready alluded, that of the developement of the fifth toe. 



This phenomenon being wholly unprecedented, we shall be able to 

 show how very narrow the foundation of this system must be ; we 

 shall succeed also in showing an increase in the difference of the con- 

 clusions, at present entertained, respecting the origin of the distinc- 

 tions subsisting between the different canine species ; nay, we shall 

 justify ourselves for declining to admit, that the inferences drawn 

 from the experience of domestication, from facts entirely occurring 

 in a state of nature, do not belong to the class of legitimate argu- 

 ments. But, in order not to waste time, we shall go so far as to ad- 

 mit that the developement of the fifth toe is favourable to the system ; 

 even then, I ask, what advantage has the system gained by this 

 admission ? It is very manifest that it has gained none at all ; for, 

 the step which has been attained by this concession, is still very 

 remote indeed from the confines of the genera, and, despite the 

 numerous affinities which exist between the dogs, the latter genera 



