364 ILLOGICAL GEOLOGY. 



forms ; next, to strata containing higher marine forms, as* 

 cending finally to fish ; and that the strata above these 

 would contain reptiles, then small mammals, then great 

 mammals ; seems to us to be demonstrable from the known 

 laws of organic life. 



And if the succession of fossils presented by the strata 

 cf this supposed new continent, would thus simulate the 

 succession presented by our own sedimentary series ; must 

 we not say that our own sedimentary series very possibly 

 records nothing more than the phenomena accompanying 

 one of these great upheavals ? We think this must be 

 considered not only possible, but highly probable : har- 

 monizing as it does with the unavoidable conclusion before 

 pointed out, that geological changes must have been going 

 on for a period immeasurably greater than that of which 

 we have records. And if the probability of this conclu- 

 sion be admitted, it must be admitted that the facts of 

 Palaeontology can never suffice either to prove or disprove 

 the Development Hypothesis ; but that the most they can 

 do is, to show whether the last few pages of the Earth's 

 biologic history are or are not in harmony with this hy- 

 pothesis — whether the existing Flora and Fauna can or can 

 not be affiliated upon the Flora and Fauna of the most re^ 

 cent geologic times. 



