these lists require severe examination; for, unfortunately, the study of organic remains is beset with two evils, which, though of an opposite character do not neutralize each other so much as at first sight might be anticipated; the one consisting of a strong desire to find similar organic remains in supposed equivalent deposits, even at great distances; the other being an equally strong inclination to discover new species.

"There can be little doubt that from these and other sources of error, the same organic remains, particularly shells, often figure in our catalogues under two names; and that the exuvia of certain animals are marked as discovered in situations where they have never been found. Notwithstanding these difficulties, it will, however, be evident, from a glance at the catalogues of organic remains, that a great mass of information has been gradually collected on this subject alone, from which the most important results must follow, even though the various lists may require considerable correction."*

And we have, more recently, the ingenuous confession of another geological naturalist to pretty much the same effect:

"If, therefore," says Mr. Ansted, "in spite of the advantages of the pretty accurate mapping of Europe, and the detailed and minute knowledge of a positive kind which we possess geologically, there is still doubt and hesitation in determining the ancient history and the exact succession of deposits, it may well be supposed that not less, but much greater, difficulty exists with regard to other countries (India and China for example), of which we know far less."

And again

"Man may at some future day be able to comprehend this great plan of development (that of ancient animal existence); but he is not yet in that condition, and in his attempt to include its laws within the compass of his imagination, and express their true relation in language, he has hitherto always failed."+

"The convulsions and revolutions of the geological world," observes Mr. Miller, "like those of the political, are sad confounders of place and station, and bring into close fellowship the high and the

* Manual of Geology, 2nd edition, Preface, pp. v. vi.

↑ Ancient World, 1847, pp. 329, 382.

low; nor is it safe in either world-such have been the effects of the disturbing agencies to judge of ancient regulations by existing neighbourhoods, or of original situations by present places of occupancy. Misery,' says Shakspeare, makes strange bed-fellows.' The changes and convulsions of the geological world have made strange bed-fellows too. I have seen fossils of the upper lias and of the lower red sandstone washed together by the same wave out of what might be taken, upon a cursory survey, for the same bed, and then mingled with recent shells, algæ, branches of trees, and fragments of wrecks on the same sea beach."*

These evidences when taken at their full value, and considering by whom they are given, will go a great way to relieve us from any unnecessary anxiety as to the prejudicial influence which it might have been feared the affixation of a few names of Reptilia to the lists of organic remains of the several formations would have occasioned. For, by what has been said, it is evident that numberless accidents may have entombed the remains of reptiles very distinct in geological epoch; or, what is the same thing, much earlier in rocky stratification than their true epochs, when the places which they inhabited during their existence on the surface is duly taken into ac

count.

With respect to the other division of this same difficultynamely, the discovery of animal exuviæ in situations of which there can be no doubt as to geological correctness, although from the paucity of our knowledge of their individual conformation and habits there may be serious doubts as to their having possessed the power of locomotion, in its proper signification—it appears to us, that the strongest line of defence which we can take up is to express our firm conviction that no animal which encrusted the bottom of the ocean during its period of nonrotation was, or could be, possessed of the faculty of freely moving from place to place; that such ability was alike inconsistent with, and would have been prejudicial to, the development of the great plan of Creation, as we understand it to have been carried out. That locomotion, where all the surrounding

* Old Red Sandstone, 3rd edition, p. 156.

elements were alike, would have been a superfluous endowment, and, therefore, was not conferred; and finally, without an atmosphere there could have been no voluntary motion impelled or sustained by aeriated blood. With these declarations of our belief we leave this point to clear up itself when the great Scriptural announcements of the plan of Creation shall be better understood, more faithfully applied to the researches of philosophy and science, and more generally believed in. Then, we have no doubt, those seeming anomalies will give place to juster views, and more correct classifications; so that what now threatens to be a serious difficulty, will wholly disappear, and give place to a perfect, consistent, and convincing system of Cosmography.

We have now only to notice the remaining point in doubt, namely, the conflicting circumstance of the primitive waters being considered to have been fresh, while numberless remains of exuviæ correspond to living congenors inhabiting our present briny seas. In doing this, besides alluding to the minuteness of the difference of conformation which might enable a conchifer or mollusc to inhabit fresh water, we have to point out to our readers, that the primitive ocean contained all the elements of its present saline nature, although differently combined, and then to give the following conclusive extract from one of our most argumentative geologists, which seems to have been written so expressly for the occasion, although he was then treating of the origin of the Paris and Isle of Wight basins, that with it we shall close this part of our evidence :

66

are

"The sources of the organic fossils," says Dr. McCulloch, no less obvious. But I must not pass from these without inquiring into their value in determining the marine or other nature of these strata. This is especially necessary, as the theory, and the mistakes of fact, together, have been among the chief sources of erroneous judgment in these cases, and will remain so as long as this engrossing pursuit shall occupy all the attention of geologists, and this hypothesis shall continue to rule. If to mistake respecting a fish has been sufficient to confound the class of Oeningen, it is easy to see what more may have happened and may happen again; not only in such instances, but in the judgment respecting alternating deposits.

"I do not give catalogues of species and genera.

I'shall

only, therefore, name among the living genera of fresh water Lymneus, Planorbis, Physa, Paludina, Ampullaria, Cerithium, Melanopsis, Melania, Nerita, Cyclas, and Unio. Of these Lymneus, Planorbis, Physa, Paludina, Cerithium, Melanopsis, Melania, and Nerita, are found in the fossil state; and Paludina, Ampullaria, Cerithium, Melania, and Nerita, are common to fresh and salt water. Of the shells called exclusively marine, Modiolus, Mytilus, and Corbula, live in fresh water; and different species of Anodon, Cyclas, Unio, Tellina, Cardium, and Venus, some belonging to fresh and others to salt water are found promiscuously in the Gulph of Livonia. Our own muscles and oysters, and many more, thrive better in fresh water than in salt; and reversely, many fresh water shell fish can live in salt water, and those of salt marshes are especially indifferent on this subject."*

* Geology, by Dr. M'Culloch, vol. i. p. 327, 328.

SECTION II.

THE ANIMAL EXISTENCES OF THE NON-ROTATORY PERIOD.

CHAPTER III.

Adaptation of the Apulmonic Invertebrate Animals to the state of the creation previous to the Earth's rotation around its axis. Origin of Calcareous Rocks, and the influential part which the primitive Animal Organisms performed in producing them. Increase of these rocks in an ascending series. Evidences for their existence deduced from geological writers. And a summary of the subjects treated of in this section, with an application of the whole to the progressive development of the Dynamical Theory.

OUR information respecting the circumstances connected with animal life at the period to which allusion is now made having been brought to a point which enables us to proceed with the general argument; and having, to a certain extent, removed the obstacles which presented themselves to our progress, we shall endeavour, in the next place, to make apparent the perfect adaptation of the description of animals which we consider did exist to the then condition of our planet, on the supposition already assumed, of its being unilluminated, without rotation, and enveloped by an atmosphereless ocean, differing in composition from what it does at present, and, afterwards, adduce some of the more apparent reasons why animal life should at that period have been confined to beings of simpler conformation, and, comparatively, of sedentary habits. In developing this plan of procedure we shall commence by showing the nature and functions of lungs and gills.

"The aeriating organs of animals," says Dr. Fleming, "may be divided into two kinds, lungs (pulmones), and gills (bronchia), both