x OBITUARY 273 
ination of living reefs.’ (I. p. 70.) In 1835, when 
starting from Lima for the Galapagos, he recom- 
-mends his friend, W. D. Fox, to take up geology: 
— There is so much larger a field for thought 
than in the other branches of Natural History. 
Tam become a zealous disciple of Mr. Lyell’s views, 
as made known in his admirable book. Geologising 
in South America, I am tempted to carry parts to 
a greater extent even than he does. Geology is a 
capital science to begin with, as it requires nothing 
but a little reading, thinking, and hammering.” 
(1. p. 263.) The truth of the last statement, when 
it was written, is a curious mark of the subsequent 
progress of geology. Even so late as 1836, Darwin 
speaks of being “much more inclined for geology 
than the other branches of Natural History.” 
(I. p. 275.) 
At the end of the letter to Mr. Fox, however, a 
little doubt is expressed whether zoological studies 
might not, after all, have been more profitable ; 
and an interesting passage in the “ Autobiography ” 
enables us to understand the origin of this 
hesitation. 
“During the voyage of the ‘ Beagle’ I had been 
deeply impressed by discovering in the Pampean 
formation great fossil animals covered with armour 
like that on the existing armadillos ; secondly, by 
the manner in which closely-allied animals replace 
one another in proceeding southwards over the 
continent ; and, thirdly, by the South American 
VOL. II T 
