1 66 Permanence and Evolution. 



Australian conditions. Why did they remain 

 in Australia and not elsewhere ? The evolu- 

 tionists can give no answer which does not 

 imply that the deep but extremely narrow sea 

 between Bali and Lombok has remained un- 

 changed since the Eocene period ; rather a large 

 assumption, considering what we know of geolo- 

 gical change. 



It is evident we have to do with laws we do 

 not understand and about which conjecture is 

 rather useless. It is often said that the hypo- 

 thesis of evolution explains so many facts con- 

 nected with geographical distribution that we 

 . may feel sure that the difficulties will be some 

 day explained ; but every mythological hypo- 

 thesis was founded on some analogy or other, 

 and it appears to me that in this case suspension 

 of judgment is the best. 



No one can look at the general facts con- 

 nected with geographical distribution without 

 the suggestion of evolution entering his mind, 



