Now, as already stated, homology can not be traced with any certainty between the primary groups, but within the limits of each group it may be traced with ease and beauty. Analogy, however, being connected with function, and function being universal, can be traced throughout the animal kingdom. While, therefore, it is probable, nay, almost certain, that all animals have had a common origin, we can not yet trace these great departments by homology to that common origin. But the common origin of each department is quite clear. For example, the structure of all vertebrate animals is precisely such as would be the case if all came from one primal vertebrate, variously modified to adapt to various modes of life. Also, the structure of all arthropods is precisely such as would be if all came from one primal arthropod, which, from generation to generation, became gradually modified in different directions, in order to adapt itself to various modes of life. But between arthropods and vertebrates we can not yet clearly see a common origin, although there doubtless was such.
These great departments may, therefore, be compared to natural styles of animal architecture. As there are various styles of human architecture—Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Gothic—each of which may be variously modified to adapt it to all the different purposes for which buildings are made, without destroying, though perhaps obscuring, the integrity of the style; so the different primary groups or departments may be regarded as different styles of animal structure, each of which may be and has been modified in many ways to adapt it to various habits and modes of life, obscuring but not destroying the general style. Or they may be compared to natural machines. As a steam-engine, by modification, may be adapted to many kinds of purposes, obscuring, perhaps, but not destroying the essential identity of structure; even so the vertebrate machine by modification may be, and has been, adapted to many kinds of purposes, and thus become a swimming-machine, a crawling-machine, a flying-machine, a running-and leaping-machine, without destroying, although obscuring, the essential identity of structure. As in architecture, æsthetic principles of form may be traced through each style, but not from style to style, while the mechanical principles of construction run through all alike; so also in animal architecture, the laws of form and styles of structure are traceable with ease only within the limits of each primary group, while the laws of function are traceable through all groups alike. Or, again, and finally: Each of these departments may be compared to a tree, with branches, twigs, and spray, all obviously coming from one common stem, but each stem seems separate. They are, indeed, probably, themselves only great branches of one common trunk, but their connection is too remote and obscure to be made out clearly by means of homology. Other evidences, however, drawn from other sources, as we shall see hereafter, are not wholly wanting.
CHAPTER V.
PROOFS FROM HOMOLOGIES OF THE VERTEBRATE SKELETON.
The proposition to be established here is, that all vertebrates have not only a common general plan of structure, but an essential identity even in detail, although this identity is obscured by adaptive modifications. We will try to show first a common general plan, and then, taking parts most familiar to the general reader, will show essential identity even in detail.
Common General Plan.—1. All vertebrate animals, and none other, have an internal jointed skeleton worked by muscles on the outside. As we shall see hereafter, the relation of skeleton and muscle in arthropods is exactly the reverse.
2. In all vertebrates, and in none other, the axis of this skeleton is a jointed backbone (vertebral column) inclosing and protecting the nervous centers (cerebro-spinal axis). These, therefore, may well be called back-boned animals.
3. All vertebrates, and none other, have a number of their anterior vertebral joints enlarged and consolidated into a box to form the skull,[22] in order to inclose and protect a similar enlargement of the nervous center, viz., the brain; and also usually, but not always, a number of posterior joints, enlarged and consolidated to form the pelvis, to serve as a firm support to the hind-limbs.
4. All vertebrates, and none other, have two cavities, inclosed and protected by the skeleton, viz., the neural cavity above, and the visceral or body cavity below, the vertebral column; so that a cross-section of the body is diagrammatically represented by [Fig. 4].