292 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1S92. 



some paleontologists * even though they ostensibly accept the princi- 

 ples of modern biology. 



It is evident from these propositions that the methods adopted by 

 the early geologists of explaining the phenomena with which they had 

 to deal, when any explanation was attempted, were based upon a belief 

 in the supernatural origin and direct divine ordination of those phe- 

 nomena, and not upon what is now accepted as a correct knowledge of 

 natural laws. It will also be seen that among their leading ideas was 

 that of sharp definition, not only of all the forms of animal and vege 

 table life, but of the divisions of the geological scale, and consequently 

 of all the divisions of geological time. Of all the ideas which they 

 conceived and held, to which proper exception can be taken, the influ- 

 ence of the one just mentioned, notwithstanding its inconsistency with 

 natural laws, has evidently produced the most lasting influence upon 

 modern geology. Some of the effects of this influence will be shown 

 in the following propositions and in the remarks which follow them 

 respectively. 



The foregoing propositions relate to what were regarded by the early 

 geologists as fundamental ideas in the construction of the geological 

 scale, while the following relate to those ideas which are now held to 

 constitute its true basis because they only accord with natural laws. 

 These are therefore essentially a counter statement of the preceding- 

 propositions, but the principal object of their preparation is to point 

 out the true relation of biology to systematic, historical and correlative 

 geology. They consist largely of the statement of certain of the prin- 

 ciples involved in the theory of organic evolution, but they are by no 

 means intended as a full statement of those principles, nor are they 

 presented for the purpose of either discussing or defining them as such. 

 That is, the statements are made not for the purpose of formally enun- 

 ciating these principles, but for the purpose of making practical appli- 

 cation of them to the subject in hand. I have selected for* statement 

 and comment such of them as 1 believe to be accepted by all naturalists 

 who admit the truth of organic evolution, and! make such application 

 of them as I believe will necessarily commend itself to all geologists 

 who admit that truth audits applicability to biological geology. 



These propositions are not intended to embrace the whole range of 

 biological geology, but only such of its leading principles as are discussed 



*As a rule I do not use the term paleontologist to indicate a geologist who prose- 

 cutes his investigations mainly from a biological standpoint. He lias no more need 

 of a special designation than one who devotes himself to geological dynamics or to 

 stratigraphy, and much less than one who rejects the aid of fossil remains in the hit- 

 ler branch of geological investigation. In the present instance, however, I refer to 

 those who regard paleontological evidence not merely as essential in systematic 

 geology, but as independent of physical evidence. The hitter claim will on follow- 

 ing pages be shown to be without rational foundation. 



