5i8 



NATURE 



[Sept. 25, 1871 



I 



with much success during the present period. Blumenbach, the 

 ethnologist, in several publications between 1803 and 1814, re- 

 corded valuable observations on this subject. In 1812 Sommer- 

 ring gave an excellent figure of a pterodactyle, which he named 

 and described. Goldfuss's researches on the fossil vertebrates 

 from the caves of Germany, published in 1820-23, made known 

 the more important facts of that interesting fauna. His later 

 publications on extinct amphibians and reptil s were also note- 

 worthy. Jager's investigations on the extinct vertebrate fauna of 

 Wiirtemberg, published between 1824 and 1839, were an im- 

 portant advance. To Plieninger's researches in the same region, 

 1834-44, we owe the discovery of the first triassic mammal 

 MicroUstes), as well as important information in regard to laby- 

 rinthodonts. Kaup's researches on fossil mammals, 1832-41, 

 brought to light many interesting forms, and to him we are in- 

 debted for the generic name Dinotherium, and excellent descrip- 

 tions of the remains then known. 



Count Miinster's " Beitrage zur Petrifactenkunde," published 

 1843-46, contained several valuable papers on fossil vertebrates, 

 and the separate papers by the same author are of interest. 

 Andreas Wagner wrote on Pterosaurians in 1837, and later gave 

 the first description of fossil mammals of the tertiary of Greece, 

 1837-40. Johannes Miiller published an important illustrated 

 work on the zeuglodonts, in 1S49, and various notable memoirs, 

 and Quenstedt, interesting descriptions of fossil reptiles, as well 

 as other papers of value. Riitimeyer's suggestive memoirs are 

 widely known. 



Hermann von Meyer's contributions to vertebrate paljeontology 

 are by far the most important published in Germany during the 

 period we are now considering. From 1830, his investigations 

 on this subject were continuous for nearly forty years, and his 

 various publications are all of value. His " Beitrage zur Petri- 

 factenkunde," 1831-33, contains a series of valuable memoirs. 

 His " Palaeologica," issued in 1832, includes a synopsis of the 

 fossil vertebrates then known, with nmch original matter. His 

 great work, "Zur Fauna der Vorwelt," 1845-60, includes a 

 series of monographs invaluable to the student of vertebrate 

 paleontology. This work, as well as his other chief publica- 

 tions, was illustrated with admirable plates from his own draw- 

 ings. Other memoirs by this author will be found in the 

 " Paloiontographica, " of which he was one of the editors. In 

 the many volumes of this publication, which began in 1851, and 

 is still continued, will be found much to interest the investigator 

 in any branch of paljcontology. 



The Palosontographical Society of London, established in 1847, 

 has also issued a series of volumes containing valuable memoirs 

 in various branches of paleontology. These two publications 

 together are a storehouse of knowledge in regard to extinct forms 

 of animal and vegetable life. 



It may be interesting here to note briefly the use of general 

 terms in paleontology, as the gradual progress of the science 

 was indicated to some extent in its terminology. At first, and 

 for a long time, the name fossil was appropriately used for 

 objects dug from the earth, both minerals and organic remains. 

 The term "Oryctology," having essentially the same meaning, 

 was also used for this branch of study. For a long period, too, 

 the termination iies (\iSos, a stone) was applied to fossils to 

 distinguish them from the corresponding living forms ; as, for 

 instance, Ostracises, used by Pliny. At a later date, the general 

 name ' ' figured stones " (Lapidcs fi^iirati) was "extensively used ; 

 and less frequently, "deluge atones" (Lapidcs liiluviani). The 

 term "organised fossils" was used to distinguish fossils from 

 minerals, when the real difference became known, although the 

 name /iW/yK/'(S was sometimes employed. The term " petrifac- 

 tions" (Petrificata) was defined by John Ge.ner in his work on 

 fossils in 1 758, and was afterwards extensively used. Paleon- 

 tology is comparatively a modern term, having come into use 

 only within the last half century. It^^as introduced about 1830, 

 and soon was generally adopted in France and England ; but in 

 Germany it met with less favour, though used to some extent. 



It would be interesting, too, did time permit, to trace the 

 various opinions and superstitions, held at different times, in 

 regard to some of the more common fossils, for example, the 

 ammonite, or the belemnite. Of their supposed celestial origin; 

 of their use as medicine by the ancients, and in the East to-day ; 

 of their marvellous power as charms, among the Romans, and 

 still among the Ameiican Indians. It would be instructive, also, 

 to compare the various views expressed by students in science. 



concerning some of the stranger extinct forms, for instance, the 

 nummulites, among protozoa ; the rudistes, amon^ molluscs ; o. 

 the mosasaurus, among reptiles. Dissimilar as such views were, 

 they indicate in many cases gropings •after truth — natural step« 

 in the increase of knowledge. 



The third period in the history of paleontology, which, as I 

 have said, began with Cuvier and Lamarck at the beginning of 

 the present century, forms a natural epoch extending through 

 six decades. The definite characteristics of this period, as 

 stated, were dominant during all this time, and the progress of 

 paleontology was commensurate with that of intelligence and 

 culture. 



For the first half of this period, the marvellous discoveries in 

 the Paris Basin excited astonishment, and absorbed attention ; 

 but the real significance and value of the facts made known by 

 Cuvier, Lamarck, and William Smith, were not appreciated. 

 There was still a strong tendency to regard fossils merely as 

 interesting objects of natural history, as in the previous period, 

 and not as the key to profounder problems in the earth's history. 

 Many prominent geologists were still endeavouring to identify 

 formations in different countries by their mineral characters-, 

 rather than by the fossils imbedded in them. Such names as 

 "old red sandstone," and "new red sandstone," were 

 given in accordance with this opinion. Humboldt, for example, 

 attempted to compare the formations of South America and 

 Europe by their mineral features, and doubted the value of 

 fossils for this purpose. In 1823 he wrote as follows: "Are 

 we justified in concluding that all formations are characterised 

 by particular species ? that the fossil shells of the chalk, the 

 Muschelkalk, the Jura limestone, and the Alpine limestone--, arc 

 all different ? I think this would be pushing the induction much 

 too far."' Jameson still thought minerals more important than 

 fossils for characterising formations ; while Bakewell, later yet, 

 defines paleontology as comprising "fossil zoology and fossil 

 botany, a knowledge of which may appear to the student as 

 having little connection with geology." 



During the later half of the third period, greater progress was 

 made, and before its close geology was thoroughly established 

 as a science. Let us consider for a moment what had really been 

 accomplished up to this time. 



It had now been proved beyond question that portions a; 

 least of the earth's surface had been covered many times by the 

 sea, with .alternations of fresh water and of land ; that the strati; 

 thus deposited were formed in succession, the lowest of the 

 series being the oldest ; that a distinct succession of animals ami 

 plants had inhabited the earth during the different geological 

 periods ; and that the order of succession found in one part 0/ 

 the earth was essentially the same in all. More than 3o,0CX) 

 new species of extinct animals and plants had now been dc 

 scribed. It had been foui d, too, that from the oldest forma- 

 tions to the most recent, there had been an advance in the grade; 

 of life, both animal and vegetable, the oldest forms being amoni; 

 the simplest, and the higher forms successively making thei.' 

 appearance. 



It had now become clearly evident, moreover, that the fossil- 

 from the older formations were all extinct species, and that only 

 in the most recent deposits w ere there remains of forms still 

 living. The equally important fact had been established, lliat 

 in several groups of both animals and plants, the extinct form.-, 

 were vastly more numerous than the living ; while several orders 

 of fossil animals h.ad no representatives in modern times. 

 Human remains had been found mingled with those of extinct 

 animals, but the association was regarded as an accidental one 

 by the .authorities in science ; and the very recent appearance 

 of man on the earth was not seriously questioned. Another 

 important conclusion reached, mainly through the labours of 

 Lyell was, that the earth had not been subjected in the past 

 to sudden and violent revolutions ; but the changes wrought 

 had been gradual, differing in no respect from those still in 

 progress. Strangely enough, the corollary to this proposition, 

 that life, too, had been continuous on the earth, formed at that 

 date no part of the common stock of knowledge. 



In the physical world, the great law of "correlation of 

 forces" had been announced, and widely accepted ; but in the 

 organic world, the dogma of the miracuLus creation of each, 

 separate species still held sw,ay, almost as completely as when 

 Linneus declared: "There are as many different species as 

 there were different forms created in the beginning by the 



' *' Essai g^ognistique sur le Gisement des Roclies," p. 41. 



