18 
INTRODUCTION. 
generic, and may after centuries form New 
Genera. 
Hybridity also multiplies species : this pro- 
cess is much more common in plants than ani- 
mals ; but it is often difficult to detect in the 
wild plants the real parents. Unless they are 
both found growing near the hybrid, and it has 
the traces of both forms, we may as safely 
ascribe it to a natural deviation of frame, call- 
ed Peloric if floral and generic. 
Some Botanists have different ideas of Ge- 
nera, species, and varieties : their errors and 
my corrections will be found in the principles 
of my Flora telluriana. I merely recapitu- 
late here my ideas of them, deduced from 40 
years of botanical observations. 
Species include all the individuals perfectly 
alike in all their parts — Varieties are slight ca- 
sual deviations — Proles are permanent varie- 
ties, such as are called Breeds among .ani- 
mals. 
Genera are the groups of species that have 
similar floral characters and sometimes a simi- 
lar habit. Whenever a species has different 
floral forms it must be a peculiar genus. 
Such are the natural distinctions of those 
two groups, any others must be unnatural and 
improper ! All species may have been varie- 
ties once, except the original types or ancestors 
of the genus, and all actual varieties may be 
incipient species. 
My views of the natural method will be gi- 
ven in my Flora Telluriana, where I shall 
correct and improve my former classes, orders 
and families of 1815 in Analysis of Nature . 
I have adopted and studied the natural method 
since 1800, 1 have always tried to improve it, 
