This case of the orders with only 2 genera, the genera notwithstanding
having 15.07 species each, seems to me very perplexing and upsets, almost,
the conclusion deducible from the orders with single genera.

I have gone higher, and tested the alliances with 1, 2, and 3 orders; and
in these cases I find both the genera few in each alliance, and the
species, less than the average of the whole kingdom, in each genus.

All this has amused me, but I daresay you will have a good sneer at me, and
tell me to stick to my barnacles. By the way, you agree with me that
sometimes one gets despondent--for instance, when theory and facts will not
harmonise; but what appears to me even worse, and makes me despair, is,
when I see from the same great class of facts, men like Barrande deduce
conclusions, such as his "Colonies" (41/3. Lyell briefly refers to
Barrande's Bohemian work in a letter (August 31st, 1856) to Fleming ("Life
of Sir Charles Lyell," II., page 225): "He explained to me on the spot his
remarkable discovery of a 'colony' of Upper Silurian fossils, 3,400 feet
deep, in the midst of the Lower Silurian group. This has made a great
noise, but I think I can explain away the supposed anomaly by, etc." (See
Letter 40, Note.) and his agreement with E. de Beaumont's lines of
Elevation, or such men as Forbes with his Polarity (41/4. Edward Forbes
"On the Manifestation of Polarity in the Distribution of Organised Beings
in Time" ("Edinburgh New Phil. Journal," Volume LVII., 1854, page 332).
The author points out that "the maximum development of generic types during
the Palaeozoic period was during its earlier epochs; that during the
Neozoic period towards its later periods." Thus the two periods of
activity are conceived to be at the two opposite poles of a sphere which in
some way represents for him the system of Nature.); I have not a doubt that
before many months are over I shall be longing for the most dishonest
species as being more honest than the honestest theories. One remark more.