250 P^of. Sedgwick on the Origin • [Aprii, 



moth, the hyaena, the rhinoceros, the hippopotamus, and other 

 animals, the spoils of which are found in almost miraculous 

 abundance in many parts of the world buried in the old diluvial 

 detritus. 



When we consider the great extent of the flZ/«r/fif/ tract above 

 described, and the various cuts and drains which have been 

 made through almost every part of it : and when we further 

 consider that the same tract of country is the growth and accu- 

 mulation of at least 2000 or 3000 years ; the negative argument 

 becomes complete, and we conclude, almost with certainty, that 

 durino" this long period not one of the several species of animals 

 last enumerated existed in the neighbouring parts of our island. 

 Let these considerations be combined with the admirable details 

 and illustrations supplied in the writings of Cuvier and Buck- 

 land, and we readily extend the same conclusion to other parts 

 of England, and indeed to every part of the world, which has 

 been rigidly examined. 



It may, however, be urged that no accumulation of negative 

 evidence can stand against the direct evidence of opposing facts. 

 Is then the preceding conclusion opposed by any incontroverti- 

 ble facts ? To such a question I should not hesitate to reply by 

 a decided negative. Ambiguous cases may occur near the base 

 of a crumbling sea cliff, or near the bank of a river which is 

 continually falling down from being undermined by the attrition 

 of the wMers ; or in the silt and alluvial rubbish of a valley 

 which for many ages has been modified and ravaged by succes- 

 sive floods. In such situations the spoils of alluvial and dilu- 

 vial deposits may be mechanically mixed together so as to render 

 it impossible to separate them. 



A sober-minded naturalist who makes his inductions after an 

 extended examination of facts, and who does not view all things 

 through the distorting medium of an hypothesis, will never 

 derive from such localities as these any argument for the true 

 arrangement of spoils found in different parts of the superficial 

 gravel. The only way in which spoils derived from such situa- 

 tions can be classified, is by comparing them with similar 

 remains found in other deposits, the relations of which are 

 clearly exhibited, and which have been modified by no subse- 

 q.uent disturbing forces. Had this observation suggested itself 

 to Dr. Fleming, he might have withheld more than half the 

 examples he has brought forward in the Edinburgh Philoso- 

 phical Journal (No. 22, p. 297, &c.) with a view of overturning 

 the distinction which has been drawn between the organic 

 remains of alluvial and diluvial detritus. In regard to the mam- 

 moth, he has not produced a single example of its remains found 

 in undisturbed alluvium. Some of his examples may, perhaps, 

 be ambiguous ; but others are derived from localities which, 

 had he taken the trouble to examine them himself, he would 



