SUCCESSION, in music, the order in which the notes of a melody proceed. There are two sorts of succession, reg ular, or conjoint, and disjunct. A regu lar or conjoint succession is that in which the notes succeed each other in the order of the scale to which they belong, either ascending or descending. In a disjunct succession the melody is formed of intervals greater than a sec ond. A sequence is sometimes spoken of as a succession, and passages of sim ilar chords or progressions are described as a succession of thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths, or octaves, as the case may be.
Acts of succession: In English history, the name given to several acts of Par liament, by which the succession to the crown was limited or modified. The first is an act of Henry IV., declaring Prince Henry heir-apparent to the thrones of England and France, with remainders to the other children of Henry IV. Other instances occurred in the case of Henry VII., and in regard to the suc cessors of Henry VIII., and the rights of James I., Charles I., and Charles II. The most important is the act of settle ment. (See SETTLEMENT, ACT OF) .
Apostolic, or Apostolical succession: (See APOSTOLIC) .
Geological succession of organic be ings: The gradual disappearance of spe cies, genera, families, etc., throughout the world as geological time goes for ward, or the more rapid succession of one group of organisms to another within a limited area, as the adaptation of that area to particular forms of life changes, by water giving place to land, salt water to fresh, or the reverse. Within limited areas, however, the same type often persists from the later Ter tiary to the present day; as in South America, where the sloth and armadillo have succeeded gigantic Edentates like the megatherium and glyptodon.
Law of succession: The law or rule according to which the succession to the property of deceased persons is regu lated. In general this law obtains only in cases in which the deceased person has died intestate, or in which the power of bequeathing property by will is limited by the legislature. In the United States each State has its own law of succession. Usually succession is by stirpes or root.