On the Temperature of Geological Periods, 263 



the skeleton figured and described is that of Euphysetes simus of 

 India, and will not have the least idea that the outline belongs to 

 one species and the skeleton to another, which are admitted by 

 Professor Owen to be distinct^ and are so regarded all through 

 the paper. 



Since the above was written I have been informed of a much 

 more serious mistake in the paper. The account of the Euphy- 

 setes simus begins thus : — " The Cetacean which I have next to 

 describe is represented by drawings of the adult male (side view, 

 plate 11, to scale) and female (side view, plate 10. fig. 1; upper 

 view, fig. 2; to scale). It is noted as ^a kind of Porpoise' in 

 Mr. Elliot's MS., and is known to the Telugu fishermen of 

 the coast by the name of ^ Wonga.' The male, measuring 6 feet 



8 inches in length, was taken at Waltair, February 28, 1853. 

 The female was taken on the 1st of March, 1853, at the same 

 part of the coast; she measured 6 feet in length" (p. 30). 

 " According to the figures, the pectoral fin becomes free I foot 

 1 inch behind the snout in the male, and 1 foot 4 inches in the 

 female; but there may be some inaccuracy here" (p. 31). The 

 comparison is continued, and terminates as follows : — " The vulva 

 is 3 -inches in advance of the vent; the prepuce of the male is 



9 inches in advance" (p. 32). 



Now, after all these details, I am assured that both the draw-* 

 ings above referred to were taken from the same specimen, the 

 only example of the '^ porpoise'"' recorded as taken on the Indian 

 shores, that that specimen was a female, and, further, that the 

 drawings and bones were accompanied by accurate admeasure- 

 ments taken from the animal itself when in a fresh state. 



XLII. — On the Temperature of Geological Periods, from indica- 

 tions derived from the observation of Fossil Plants. By the 

 Count Gaston de Saporta*. 



It is by the aid of facts derived not only from the study of 

 ancient organisms, but at the same time from all sorts of ob- 

 servations, that we may hope one day to solve the complex 

 question of the temperature of the globe at periods anterior to 

 that in which we live. 



We are still very far from any such result ; but, in order to 

 approach it, we must endeavour to apply to the problem a series 

 of partial researches, so as gradually to bring together the ele- 

 ments of a complete and definitive solution. I shall therefore 

 confine myself exclusively within the limits of the vegetable 



* Translated from the * Biblioth^que Universelle : Archives des Sciences/ 

 tome xviii. pp. 89-142. 



19* 



