APPENDIX. 



387 



sciousness of individuality exists. The continuation of 

 reproduction for several generations by tlie females alone 

 in some of these tribes, tends to the probability of the 

 greater continuity of existence, and the subdivisions of 

 life by cuttings, at any rate must stagger the advocate 

 of individuality. 



Among the millions of specific varieties of living things 

 which occupy the humid portion of the surface of our 

 planet, as far back as can be traced, there does not ap- 

 pear, with the exception of man, to have been any parti- 

 cular engrossing race, but a pretty fair balance of powers 

 of occupancy, — or rather, most wonderful variation of 

 cii'cumstance parallel to the nature of every species, as if 

 circumstance and species had grown up together. There 

 are indeed several races which have threatened ascen- 

 dency in some particular regions, but it is man alone from 

 whom any general imminent danger to the existence of 

 his brethren is to be dreaded. 



As far back as history reaches, man had already had 

 considerable influence, and had made encroachments 

 upon his fellow denizens, probably occasioning the de- 

 struction of many species, and the production and conti- 

 nuation of a number of varieties or even species, which 

 he found more suited to supply his wants, but which, 

 from the infirmity of their condition — not having under- 

 gone selection by the law of nature, of which we have 

 spoken, cannot maintain their ground without his culture 

 and protection. 



It is, however, only in the present age that man has 



