420 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. ix. 



of the possessor by blinding the path of its escape. The con- 

 struction of the organ, the situation of the organ, the position of 

 its emissive duct, all have a nicely calculated relation to the 

 result. Whether other organs of the animal economy have been 

 produced perfect at once or not, this must have been. Whether 

 other organs have had an intelligent creator and a plan in their 

 construction or not, this particular organ must have been created 

 with prescience, calculation, design. If we m >y no longer with 

 fond delusion worship the Great Unknown as the creator of man, 

 let us still continue to bow down before Him as the creator of 

 the inkba^ of the cuttle Lsh. 



AMERICAN GEOGRAPHY.^ 



" My recent predecessors in this chair have dealt, with a 

 knowledge and ability with which I cannot vie, not only with 

 great problems in terrestrial physics, such as the genesis of our 

 oceans, continents, and mountain-chains ; the circulation of the 

 waters of the ocean, with its consequences on climate ; the recip- 

 rocal influence of conditions of nature upon man, and of man's 

 ability to modify those conditions; but also on the progress of 

 geographical discovery on the great theatres of political interest 

 or commercial rivalry ; and the archaeology of our science, as 

 regards Asia, has been touched by a master's hand. Turning, 

 then, from themes on which I could ofi'er nothing worthy of your 

 attention, I find, with a sense of relief, that there is a region of 

 the globe, and it is one with which I have the most personal 

 acquaintance, which has received very little attention at their 

 hands. I refer to the great continent of America, and more 

 especially its northern portion ; and I hope for your indulgence 

 if I enlarge a little upon that theme. 



" How vast have been, in very recent times, the additions to 

 our knowledge in that quarter, how continuous is the progress of 

 discovery, cannot, I think, but worthily occupy your attention 

 for a few minutes. In other regions geography is the pioneer of 



* From the Address to the Geographical Section of the British Association, 

 Swansea, 1880, by Lieut.-General Sir J. H. Lefroy, C B., K. C. M. (Jr., R. A., 

 F. R. S., F. R. Gt. H' President of the Section. 



