chance of fewness. Moreover in every case from
very existence of genera and species only few at one time will
leave progeny, under form of new species, to distant ages; and the
more distant the ages the fewer the progenitors. An observation may
be here appended, bad chance of preservation on rising island, the
nurseries of new species, appeal to experience <see _Origin_, Ed.
i. p. 292>. This observation may be extended, that in all cases,
subsiding land must be, in early stages, less favourable to
formation of new species; but it will isolate them, and then if
land recommences rising how favourable. As preoccupation is bar to
diffusion to species, so would it be to a selected variety. But it
would not be if that variety was better fitted to some not fully
occupied station; so during elevation or the formation of new
stations, is scene for new species. But during elevation not
favourable to preservation of fossil (except in caverns <?>); when
subsidence highly favourable in early stages to preservation of
fossils; when subsidence, less sediment. So that our strata, as
general rule will be the tomb of old species (not undergoing any
change) when rising land the nursery. But if there be vestige will
generally be preserved to future ages, the new ones will not be
entombed till fresh subsidence supervenes. In this long gap we
shall have no record: so that wonderful if we should get
transitional forms. I do not mean every stage, for we cannot expect
that, as before shown, until geologists will be prepared to say
that although under unnaturally favourable condition we can trace
in future ages short-horn and Herefordshire <see note 2, p. 26>.
{Note 115}

Sec. VII. <AFFINITIES AND CLASSIFICATION.>

Looking now to the affinities of organisms, without relation to their
distribution, and taking all fossil and recent, we see the degrees of
relationship are of different degrees and
arbitrary,--sub-genera,--genera,--sub-families, families, orders and
classes and kingdoms. The kind of classification which everyone feels is
most correct is called the natural system, but no can define this. If we
say with Whewell <that we have an> undefined instinct of the importance
of organs{135}, we have no means in lower animals of saying which is
most important, and yet everyone feels that some one system alone
deser