144 



ocean winds effectually minimizes the action of the warm 

 Gulf Stream on the continental atmosphere. 



In any case it would be ridiculous to suppose that the 

 Gulf Stream could exercise an influence across Europe, 

 not only to the central regions of Asia, but right up to 

 its eastern coasts. This influence can only act upon the 

 shores; and along the western shores of Europe, together 

 with the isothermical lines, must appear perpendiculars 

 indicating the degree of warmth thrown out by the 

 Stream. Further on, where its influence ceases, the 

 isothermic lines should run parallel to the Equator, as in 

 the southern hemisphere. As this is not the case in fact, 

 we are supplied with another piece of evidence in favor 

 of the hypothesis that our earth, as a living organism, 

 posses its own animal heat. 



A third proof is furnished by earthquakes and vol- 

 canic eruptions. In this connection there is no need for 

 me to describe these phenomena in detail. Information 

 concerning them can be found in physical geographies 

 and in fuller form in the works ofHumboldt, Reclus and 

 other scientists: for us, here, the important point is the 

 iudisputable fact of their existence, coupled with the re- 

 markable circumstance that such volcanic and seismic 

 energies are developed systematically in the form of a 

 broken line across the earth's surface, like a gigantic W r 

 the extreme points meeting round the globe. 



Taking as the starting point the island of Iceland the 

 end of the first line reaches the North of Australia, pas- 

 sing through Europe and Asia. The line then rises and 

 runs along the western coasts of the Pacific to the N. E. 

 of North America. After this it drops along the range 

 of the Cordilleras to the southern extremities oi South 

 America, and thence along the western coasts of the 

 Atlantic, rising once more to its initial point on Iceland. 

 The magnetic currents observe almost identically the 

 same course. 



If we take a geographical atlas, and with the aid of 

 a ruler sharpen the corners of the curved isothermical 



