The Scottish Naturalist. 



i i 



V. PALAEONTOLOGICAL GEOLOGY, which has already 

 been defined. 



VI. STRATIGRAPHICAL GEOLOGY, or Geological His- 

 tory, which endeavours to work out the chronological succession 

 of the great formations that form the land-surface of the globe. 



VII. PHYSIOGRAPHY, which traces the gradual develop- 

 ment of the stratigraphical features presented to us. 



Palaeontology therefore, which to the first geologists meant all 

 Geology, and round which the battle of reason versus dogma and 

 prejudice raged for centuries, has gradually sunk from its higher 

 place to occupy that of a dependency of Geology proper ; though 

 forming a basis, as was first shewn by William Smith, for the 

 elaboration of another section, that of Stratigraphical Geology. 



But now I wish to advocate a further step, namely, the severance 

 of Palaeontology, as such, from Geology altogether. Under 

 what department of science is Palaeontology then to be included ? 



Before answering that question, it is necessary to have a clear 

 notion of the general scope of Biology and of the origin of the 

 term. 



Since the demonstration of the fundamental sameness of pro- 

 toplasm as forming the physical basis of life, whether animal or 

 vegetable, it has become customary to unite the two sciences of 

 Zoology and Botany under the one science of Biology ; a custom 

 which must be followed ere long by the recognition of the essential 

 relation of Psychology and Sociology to the same general science. 

 In fact as Professor Huxley puts it, " It must be allowed that no 

 natural boundary separates the subject-matter of these sciences 

 from that of Biology." 



Living matter and the products of its metamorphosis may, 

 according to the biologist, be regarded under four aspects. 

 i. Morphological, 2. Physiological, 3. Distributional, and 4. 

 Etiological. In other words every living thing has structure, 

 function, habitat, and relationships. These then are the pheno- 

 mena with the consideration of which the Biological sciences are 

 occupied. 



Now, when we talk of studying the phenomena manifested by 

 living things, what do we really mean? Save the external features 

 we cannot study the morphology of living things at all. The very 

 act of examination is, and must be preceded by the death of the 

 organ and organism, except where the tissues are so transparent 



