Importance of discovery of Fossil Mammals 353 



That the passage in Darwin's pocket-book for 1837 can only refer 

 to an awakening of Darwin's interest in the subject— probably 

 resulting from a sight of the bones when they were being unpacked 

 — I think there cannot be the smallest doubt ; and we may tlierefore 

 confidently fix upon November, 1832, as the date at which Darwin 

 commenced that long series of observations and reasonings which 

 eventually culminated in the preparation of the Origin of Species. 

 Equally certain is it, that it was his geological work that led Darwin 

 into those paths of research which in the end conducted him to 

 his great discoveries. I quite agree with the view expressed by 

 Mr F. Darwin and Professor Seward, that Darwin, like Lyell, "thought 

 it ' almost useless ' to try to prove the truth of evolution until the 

 cause of change was discovered 1 ,'' and that possibly he may at 

 times have vacillated in his opinions, but I believe there is evidence 

 that, from the date mentioned, the " species question " was always 

 more or less present in Darwin's mind 2 . 



It is clear that, as time went on, Darwin became more and more 

 absorbed in his geological work. One very significant fact was that 

 the once ardent sportsman, when he found that shooting the necessary 

 game and zoological specimens interfered with his work with the 

 hammer, gave up his gun to his servant 3 . There is clear evidence 

 that Darwin gradually became aware how futile were his attempts 

 to add to zoological knowledge by dissection and drawing, while 

 he felt ever increasing satisfaction with his geological work. 



The voyage fortunately extended to a much longer period (five 

 years) than the two originally intended, but after being absent nearly 

 three years, Darwin wrote to his sister in November, 1834, " Hurrah ! 

 hurrah ! it is fixed that the Beagle shall not go one mile south of 

 Cape Tres Montes (about 200 miles south of Chiloe), and from that 

 point to Valparaiso will be finished in about five months. We shall 

 examine the Chonos Archipelago, entirely unknown, and the curious 

 inland sea behind Chiloe. For me it is glorious. Cape Tres Montes 



pp. 394—6, and Lyell's Principles [3rd edit.], Vol. in. p. 421). Darwin referred to this 

 discovery in 1839 (see his Journal, p. 210). 



1 M. L. i. p. 38. 



2 Although we admit with Huxley that Darwin's training in comparative anatomy was 

 very small, yet it may be remembered that he was a medical student for two years, and, if 

 he hated the lectures, he enjoyed the society of naturalists. He had with him in the little 

 Beagle library a fair number of zoological books, including works on Osteology by Cuvier, 

 Desmarest and Lesson, as well as two French Encyclopaedias of Natural History. As 

 a sportsman, he would obtain specimens of recent mammals in South America, and would 

 thus have opportunities of studying their teeth and general anatomy. Keen observer, as 

 he undoubtedly was, we need not then be surprised that he was able to make out the 

 resemblances between the recent and fossil forms. 



3 L. L. i. p. 63. 



D. 23 



