MAILLET. Ill 



of the water by the ardour of the chase or by pur- 

 suit, or carried by the wind, they might have fallen 

 some distance from the shore among plants, which, 

 while supplying them with food, prevented them 

 from returning to the water. Here, under the influ- 

 ence of the air, their anterior fins with their raised 

 membranes transformed into wings, barbules, and 

 feathers, the skin became covered with down, the 

 ventral fins became limbs, the body was remodelled, 

 the neck and the beak became elongated, and the 

 fish discovered itself a bird." 



Huxley speaks as if scant justice had been done 

 to Maillet, but we must infer that he has not 

 thoroughly examined the remarkable metamorphoses 

 of which the above is a moderate example. St. 

 Hilaire more critically and justly says : — 



" Quant a De Maillet, qui fait naitre les oiseaux des poissons 

 volants, les reptiles des poissons rampants, et les hommes des 

 tritons, ses reveries, en partie renouvel^es d'Anaximandre, ont 

 leur place marquee, non dans I'histoire de la science, mais dans 

 celle des aberrations de I'esprit humain." 



His remarkable theories were expounded in 

 1749, and republished in 1756; the letters of the 

 title of his book reversed those of his own name, — 

 Tclliamcd, ou Efiireliens d'un philosophc iitdien avec 

 7in missionaire frangais sur la diminution de la 

 Mer. The argument is sustained in a dialogue 

 which is of a thoroughly reverent character, 

 De Maillet endeavourins; to show that his system 

 conforms to the teachings of Genesis. He inter- 



