Rev. Mr WhewelFs Address to ike Geological Society. 159 



the existence of the solid coral at the bottom of deep seas, point 

 Cfut to us that the bottom of the sea has descended slowly and 

 and gradually, carrying with it both land and corals ; while 

 the animals of the latter are constantly employed in building 

 to the surface, and thus mark the shores of submerged lands, 

 of which the summits may or may not remain extant above the 

 waters. I need not here further state Mr Darwin's views, or 

 explain how corals, which when the level is permanent fringe 

 the shore to the depth of twenty fathoms, as the land gradually 

 sinks, become successively encircling reefs at a distance from 

 the shore ; or barrier reefs at a still greater distance and depth ; 

 or when the circuit is small, lagoon islands : — how, again, the 

 same corals, when the land rises, are carried into elevated situa- 

 tions, where they remain as evidences of the elevation. We 

 have had placed before us the map, in which Mr Darwin has, 

 upon evidence of this kind, divided the surface of the Southern 

 Pacific and Indian oceans into vast bands of alternate eleva- 

 tion and depression ; and we have seen the remarkable confir- 

 mation of his views in the observation that active volcanos oc- 

 cur only in the areas of elevation. Guided by the principles 

 which he learned from my distinguished predecessor in this 

 chair, Mr Darwin has presented this subject under an aspect 

 which cannot but have the most powerful influence on the spe- 

 culations concerning the history of our globe, to which you. 

 Gentlemen, may hereafter be led. I might say the same of the 

 large and philosophical views which you will find illustrated in 

 his work, on the laws of change of climate, of diffusion, dura- 

 tion and extinction of species, and other great problems of our 

 science which this voyage has suggested. I know that I only 

 express your feeling when I say, that we look with impatience 

 to the period when this portion of the results of Captain Fitz- 

 Roy's voyage shall be published, as the scientific world in ge- 

 neral looks eagerly for the whole record of that important ex- 

 pedition. 



And I cannot omit this occasion of mentioning with great 

 gratification, the liberal assistance which the Government 

 of this country have lent to the publication of the discoveries 

 in natural history which Mr Darwin's voyage has produced. 

 The new animals which he has to make known to the world 



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