AECH^OLOGY AND EVOLUTION. 123 



siderable a degeneration, as has in all these instances taken 

 place, should also have been long enough to allow of a very 

 appreciable amount of evolution. Such, however, has not 

 taken place, so that we need give no great heed to this 

 argument. That our knowledge is as yet but fragmentary 

 all will own ; but that, such as it is, it all tends to disprove 

 the theory of evolution, is a conclusion which will, I think, 

 be more and more forcibly impressed upon all students of 

 archasology. 



The Chairman (D. Howard, Esq., D.L., F.C.S.) — We have, in 

 this paper at any rate, a portion of the other side of the shield, 

 and one that is exceedingly interesting. Of course we are 

 always met with difficulty between the discussion of negative 

 and positive evidence. A friend of mine only yesterday was 

 saying to me that he believed he ought to be the owner of 

 large estates. I am not learned in the law of real property, 

 but I tried to make him understand that it was not necessary 

 for the present owners to disprove that he was the heir, but for 

 him to prove that he was. I am sure I may convey your 

 thanks to the author of this paper and also to the Rev. R. F. 

 McLeod, who has so ably read it. "We shall now be glad to hear 

 any remarks. 



Professor J. Logan Lobley, F.G.S. — In the first place I would 

 remind the meeting of the truthfulness of the remark made by 

 your Chairman, as to the care which we ought to exei'cise when we 

 speak about this word Evolution, which is abundantly exempliBed, 

 I think, by the second paper that has been read. The term 

 evolution, as used by the author of the first paper, certainly did not, 

 to ray mind, suggest the idea of self-evolution — of matter having 

 inherent qualities that are inherent in them apart from the fiat of 

 a Designer, and therefore I was much struck by the observation of 

 one of the speakers to the eifect that, if evolution is to be conceded 

 we must dispense with the presence of an Almighty Creator. That 

 has never occurred to my mind at all. We must always recognise 

 the constant presence — the over-ruling control, supervision and 

 Rustentation — of an Almighty Creator, whether we hold the 



