X OBITUARY 273 



ination of living reefs/ (I. p. 70.) In 1835, when 

 starting from Lima for the Galapagos, he recom- 

 mends his friend, W. D. Fox, to take up geology : 

 " There is so much larger a field for thought 

 than in the other branches of Natural History. 

 I am become a zealous disciple of Mr. Ly ell's views, 

 as made known in his admirable book. Geologising 

 in South America, I am tempted to carry parts to 

 a greater extent even than he does. Geology is a 

 capital science to begin with, as it requires nothing 

 but a little reading, thinking, and hammering." 

 (I. p. 263.) The truth of the last statement, when 

 it was written, is a curious mark of the subsequent 

 progress of geology. Even so late as 1836, Darwin 

 speaks of being " much more inclined for geology 

 than the other branches of Natural History." 

 (I. P . 275.) 



At the end of the letter to Mr. Fox, however, a 

 little doubt is expressed whether zoological studies 

 might not, after all, have been more profitable ; 

 and an interesting passage in the " Autobiography " 

 enables us to understand the origin of this 

 hesitation. 



" During the voyage of the * Beagle ' I had been 

 deeply impressed by discovering in the Pampean 

 formation great fossil animals covered with armour 

 like that on the existing armadillos ; secondly, by 

 the manner in which closely-allied animals replace 

 one another in proceeding southwards over the 

 continent ; and, thirdly, by the South American 



