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 hving 

 existences ; and to trace out the law of progi'ess 

 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 palaeontologists 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- 



