IX GEOLOGICAL CONTEMPORANEITY 277 



of their branch of biology as that which has just 

 been given. 



Our standard repertories of palaeontology profess 

 to teach us far higher things to disclose the 

 entire succession of living forms upon the surface 

 of the globe ; to tell us of a wholly different dis- 

 tribution of climatic conditions in ancient times ; 

 to reveal the character of the first of all living 

 existences ; and to trace out the law of progress 

 from them to us. 



It may not be unprofitable to bestow on these 

 professions a somewhat more critical examination 

 than they have hitherto received, in order to 

 ascertain how far they rest on an irrefragable 

 basis ; or whether, after all, it might not be well 

 for paleontologists to learn a little more carefully 

 that scientific " ars artium," the art of saying " I 

 don't know." And to this end let us define some- 

 what more exactly the extent of these pretensions 

 of palaeontology. 



Every one is aware that Professor Bronn's " Un- 

 tersuchungen " and Professor Pictet's " Traite de 

 Paleontologie " are works of standard authority, 

 familiarly consulted by every working palaeontolo- 

 gist. It is desirable to speak of these excellent 

 books, and of their distinguished authors, with the 

 utmost respect, and in a tone as far as possible re- 

 moved from carping criticism ; indeed, if they are 

 specially cited in this place, it is merely in justifi- 

 cation of the assertion that the following proposi- 



