170 Darwin and his Teachings. [April, 
Mascarene Islands we have existing relics of this great continent, 
which he regards as “the original focus” of the Lemuride, the 
characteristic Mascarene group of animals. 
But Mr. Trimen could not see the necessity for the creation of 
this vast continent, so promptly conjured up and baptised by Dr. 
Sclater, finding, as he did, m Madagascar, “ eighty-one species of 
diurnal Lepidoptera, of which forty-seven are known to be natives of 
Africa, while the great majority of the remaining species exhibit un- 
mistakeable affinity to African forms.” Had such a continent 
existed as that believed in by Dr. Sclater, “how is it,” he asked, 
“that the same divergence of species has not taken place between 
Mascarene and African insects (which are numerous in individuals 
and rapid in succession of generations), as we find between Masca- 
rene and African mammals?” In concluding his article, Mr. 
Trimen just hints at the possibility of butterflies flymg or bemg 
wafted across a barrier impassable for mammals ! 
Now, as these curious phenomena present a direct bearing upon 
our inquiry, we have been seeking as much information as possible 
upon the past history of the localities referred to; that is to say, 
upon the paleontology of the east coast of Africa and the west coast 
of Madagascar, hoping that that would throw some light on the 
subject; but to our regret, we find that nothing is known of 
either. In the course of our inquiries, however, we received a note 
from one of those whom Darwin may justly reckon amongst the 
“young and rising men” of science, to whom he looks for the com- 
plete establishment of his theory, from Mr. H. M. Jenkins, the 
Assistant Secretary of the Geological Society, and this correspon- 
dent demolished Dr. Sclater’s continent of “‘ Lemuria ” almost as 
unceremoniously as it had been brought into existence, and substi- 
tuted the “imfinitely more likely hypothesis,” based upon known 
laws of paleontology, that ‘‘a connection had doubtless existed 
between Africa and Madagascar at some more or less remote tertiary 
period,” but that “the tide of emigration or chain of affinity (be- 
tween the Mascarene mammals and those of other continents) passed 
through Europe, sowthwards into Asia, Africa and America, m 
Eocene or Miocene times.”* We are not aware whether Dr. Sclater 
considers himself a disciple of Darwin, as does our correspondent 
last referred to; nor can we observe in the facts before us that 
either reasons strictly upon the Darwinian hypothesis, for according 
to the views of the great naturalist, there should be a nearer affinity 
between the mammals of Madagascar and those of Africa, which is 
separated from the island by a narrow ocean channel, than between. 
the former and the mammals of India, which is much further re- 
moved, whilst the contrary appears to be the case; but one thing 
* OF course we are authorized by our correspondent to publish h's views. 
