20'2 On some zoological Facts 



nished us with valuable facts on the same subject : and 

 M. Fieurieu himself, having given the opinion of these 

 two naturalists, expresses himself as follows: — "Tov/hich 

 of our common systems can we refer the origin of that pro- 

 digious number of small spots, either scattered or formed 

 into groupes, or united into archipelagoes, which, accord- 

 ing to the most accurate researches, appear to be still in a 

 state of increase? These islands are met with at the di- 

 stance of 1500 leagues from the continent and from large 

 islands, and in the middle of a sea the depth of which can- 

 not be measured with the sounding-line. The attentive 

 eye of the enlightened observer has discovered nothing in 

 these low islands which indicates the former existence, re- 

 mains, or traces of burnt-out volcanoes, or volcanoes swal- 

 lowed up by the sea ; nothing which can show that they were 

 produced by any convulsion of the globe : e\'ery thing, on 

 the contrary, announces that they have been the production 

 of ages; that the work is not yet completed; and that a 

 gradual increase in them must take place: but that a long 

 succession of years is necessary to render it sensible." The 

 unanimous opinion, therefore, of all observers, while it re- 

 jects every idea of volcanic origin, destroys thereby every 

 other opinion which might suppose that the earth itself 

 could rise above the surface of the waves. This immediate 

 consequence then results, that the water must have sunk 

 down below its antient level. 



A very delicate but interesting question here occurs : 

 What became of the water of the sea when it abandoned 

 the summits of the mountains formed in its bosom? The 

 solution of this question appears to me to have an imme- 

 ■ diate dependence on another of the same nature, and no 

 }ess difficult : — Whence arises that enormous quantity of 

 calcareous matter, which, as we see, performs so extensive 

 a part in the revolutions of the earth ? Here, also, an im- 

 mense field is opened to imagination and hypothesis. Sa- 

 tisfied myself with having collected, compared, and ar- 

 ranged the most correct observations, that I might deduce 

 from them the most general and most certain consequences, 

 I shall give, in a few words, those which I conceive to re- 

 sult from the numerous facts here stated. 



1st, From the absolute difference of the two races in 

 New Holland and Van Diemen's Land, as well as from the 

 absence of the dog in the latter, 1 think myself authorized 

 to conclude that the separation of these two countries must 

 have taken place at a period much more remote than may 

 at first be supposed. 



2d, The 



