20 
Willis.- 
-The Evolution of Species 
in Ceylon , 
VC 
Table XIII. 
i 
3 
6 
10 
15 
C 
I 2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
RC 
12 3 
4 
5 
6 
5 
RR 
12 3 4 
5 
6 
5 
4 
R 
I 
2 3 4 5 
6 
5 
4 
3 
VR 
I 2 
3 4.5 6 
5 
4 
3 
2 
A B 
Indian connexion cut — 
C D E F 
G 
H 
J 
K 
21 
5 
4 
3 
2 
L 
Column A represents the very earliest stage of all ; the first widely 
distributed species have arrived, and are still Very Rare. In column B 
these have become Rare, and more numerous species of wide distribution 
are arriving. And so it goes till in column F the first arrivals have become 
Very Common. The connexion with India is now supposed to be severed, 
but the Very Rare species will not as a matter of fact rise to Rare for 
a long time. In column G we get a rough representation of the state 
of the Ceylon-Peninsular-Indian species at the present time, whilst column F 
represents the endemics, and column H the species of wide distribution. 
Supposing that the supply of endemics could also be stopped, so that 
the column of rarities representing them would gradually take the form 
of that representing the Ceylon-Indian species, and later that of the widely 
distributed species, one might ultimately find that the grouping into six 
equal classes at present employed would have to change gradually to one 
in which the greatest (and an increasing) number were VC, and the least 
(and a decreasing) number were VR. The class VR, as at present under- 
stood, would gradually disappear, or be enormously reduced. Or, if we 
continued to divide all the species into six equal classes, then VR would 
gradually come to include what R now stands for. 
As time went on, it is conceivable, if not probable, that VC as a class 
would also disappear, for the numbers actually existing of the species now 
in VC would be reduced as other species entered the class (for one can 
only get a certain number of plants upon a certain space of ground). Later 
the classes C and R might also disappear, and the whole flora become 
either RC or RR. 
But leaving all this out of consideration for the present, it would 
appear that the evidence distinctly points to the supposition that as time 
goes on species rise in the scale of classification (VC to VR in equal classes) 
at present adopted, and that there is no evidence that any are dying out. 
On any theory of dying out of species, it is obvious that on the whole 
it must be the oldest that are disappearing, but the figures lend no support 
to such a hypothesis. They would rather go to show that if any are 
dying out, it is the endemics — a very remarkable result whether one 
consider them as the youngest species or as the species specially developed 
to suit the local conditions of Ceylon. In what way the figures we have 
given are to be reconciled with any theory of dying out of species I fail 
to understand. 
