20 
raneous and specific creations, will be found to hold good with 
successive typical creations, or “ realizations of ideas.” 
Now, the most potent objections lie in the fact that many 
species are connected by intermediate and often minutely gra- 
dational forms. Thus, just as the graduations of varieties con- 
necting osculant species bear a prima facie probability against 
each individual of coexisting species having been called into 
existence by a special creative fiat ; and again, as osculant 
genera and osculant orders connecting prominently typical 
existing groups impart the same impression; so do the links 
found between “ forms” and “ types” of successive geological 
ages (in addition to those found frequently in contemporaneous 
periods) bear exactly the same prima facie evidence against 
successive creative fiats having been made. 
The following examples will furnish sufficient illustration of 
this. Of contemporaneous geological periods there are forms 
which unite the mastodon and elephant, the former genus being 
now extinct. In the Oolitic periods the Dinosauria furnished 
the link between reptiles and birds. In the Carboniferous 
epoch the Archegosaurus retains old piscine characters of De- 
vonian fish, and links them on to the amphibia; while the am- 
phibia, as a large group, stand intermediate between fishes and 
reptiles. Again, the extinct Ictitherium of the Miocene epoch 
has become differentiated into hyenas and civets, now represent- 
ing two distinct families. The extinct Palaotherium of the 
Eocene and the Horse of modern times are united by the Hip- 
parion and other forms of the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. 
And lastly, the very distinct shells of our seashore, Purpura 
lapillus and Fusus antiquus, are connected by intermediate forms 
during the Ped Crag (Pliocene) epoch. 
Again, just as in applying the argument of design to such 
plans or types as we see in nature, so identically the same features 
will appear transitional in discussing the design of individual 
organs. We saw that in some parts of the organism it seemed 
very pronounced, as in the well-developed limbs of certain 
lizards ; while in others we could scarcely or not at all see it, as 
in their rudimentary or useless structures. These, however, it 
will be remembered, had a significance which cannot be over- 
rated, for they bear incontestable evidence to evolution. Simi- 
larly when we consider the organs of many other animals so 
admirably adapted for their respective modes of life, design 
seems obvious ; but when we examine transitional forms, and 
see those very structures, which appeared to be marvellous in- 
stances of design, becoming useless, while new processes take 
their place, we can only say that as design dies out in one 
direction it gradually appears in another. 
