22 



single centre in regard to plant life as is the case in reference to the disper- 

 sion of the human race. Darwin says that the same forms could not be pro- 

 ducedor very probably -would not be by evolution from two different 

 plants ; consequently I should like to know how would Mr. James presume 

 the ranunculus appeared both in the Falkland and in the British Islands ? 

 In conclusion, I hope I may be allowed to add a few words to the quotation 

 given by Mr. James from the book written by Dr. Heer, of Zurich : "Let 

 us still erect statues to men who have been useful to their fellow-creatures 

 and have distinguished themselves by their genius, but let us not forget what 

 we owe to Him who has placed marvels in each grain of sand, a world in 

 every drop of water." 



Mr. S. K. PATTISON, F.G.S. I am very glad that no occasion is offered 

 for anything in the shape of criticism on this paper, the only ground for 

 which would have been some omission of fact, or some slip in the reasoning 

 of the author. I do not think that anything of this kind can be charged 

 against the admirable essay to which we have listened, and I am pleased to 

 find that the testimony of our great leader on this subject, Mr. Carruthers, 

 confirms my own impression, as he has nothing to express but admira- 

 tion. It seems to me that Mr. James has not only abolished the argument 

 deduced from the synthetic form of plants, as it now stands, but that that 

 argument is doubly abolished if, as* Mr. Carruthers has said, there is no 

 synthetic form at all ; because, in that case, the very basis of the argu- 

 ment is removed. With regard to the permanence of genera, Mr. James 

 has fought that point on every stage of the geological record, and has taken 

 his stand on every platform on which vegetable life is found, the result being 

 that he has shown, in the case of the plants to which he has referred, that 

 they display an entire constancy and permanence from the earliest forms ; 

 and that this is not only true of genera, but, to a very great extent, of 

 species also. This seems to me to be absolutely fatal to the dogma Mr. 

 James has combated. Again, the burst of new life in the upper chalk also 

 seems to me to be fatal to the evolution theory. I hold also that the doc- 

 trine of the imperfection of the geological record would not be maintained 

 by any one who has at all familiarised himself with the evidences afforded 

 by the coal measures and the shale which is found in contiguity with the coal, 

 for no one can examine one of our numerous coal-pits without being con- 

 vinced that it affords the fullest possible development of the flora of that 

 particular epoch ; and not only is this the case with regard to one coal 

 working, but all round the world the same phenomena present themselves in 

 a manner that must be accepted as quite conclusive. I need not dwell 

 further upon the subject, and have only to add that I am very glad indeed 

 to have had the advantage of hearing Mr. James read so able and interesting 

 a paper. (Applause.) 



Rev. F. A. WALKER, D.D., F.L.S. With regard to the question of the 

 permanence or persistence of types, I may state that there is a very interest- 

 ing case exhibited in the Boulak Museum which probably some of those 



