Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. 123 



declare that every unkind feeling which the unfortunate controversy be* 

 tvveen us may have engendered, has passed away, and that to me, by 

 far the most gratifying consideration connected with the manly acknowl- 

 edgment of Mr. Dana is, that it opens the way for a renewal of that 

 friendship with which it was so long both my pride and happiness to be 

 honored. J. P. Couthouy. 



Washington, May 14, 1844. 



Mr. Couthouy made some remarks explanatory of the extent 

 of his views relating to the influence of temperature on the de- 

 velopment of corals, as compared with those entertained by Jas. 

 D. Dana, Esq. 



The satisfactory withdrawal by Mr. Dana of his charge of plagia- 

 rism, made against me at the last meeting of this Association, leaves me 

 at liberty to do what was out of my power while that was impending 

 over me. 



As I have ascertained that there exists considerable difference of opin- 

 ion as to the precise nature of my views on the influence of tempera- 

 ture upon the distribution of corals, owing evidently to my not having 

 expressed them with sufficient clearness, I am desirous of embracing 

 this opportunity of defining with precision the extent of those views 

 which were original with me. This is due no less to Mr. Dana than to 

 myself, inasmuch as he not only arrived at similar conclusions, although 

 at a considerably later period, but in consequence of longer continued 

 opportunities and a series of more minute observations than it was ever 

 in my power to institute, has been enabled to extend these conclusions 

 far beyond any to which I attained. 



I will therefore briefly remark, that the general conclusions which I 

 published in my article on coral formations three years ago, were the 

 natural result of a very considerable series of observations, conducted 

 with special reference to this question of temperature as influencing the 

 distribution of corals. Within two months after our arrival in the coral 

 archipelago, I had from the evidence collected, assigned an approximate 

 provisional range of temperature as that most favorable to the develop- 

 ment of corals. At Vincennes Island, September 2d, 1839, this was 

 assumed to be " from 77° or thereabouts to 82° or 83° ;" but at Onua, 

 October 11th, it was estimated as between 76° or 77° and 80°, as is 

 shown in the following extract from my private MSS. containing the en- 

 try made on the spot. 



" This shelf has satisfied me that the suspicion entertained on our 

 first entering upon the Paumotus is correct, and that the growth of cor- 

 als (to a certain extent) depends on temperature as much as depth. It 

 also shows conclusively that they flourish to a depth at least three times 



