Mr. Dana's Reply to Mr. Couthouy's Vindication. 135 



investigation than has yet been bestowed upon it to arrive at any 

 conclusion, and surely more facts and truer facts, than are brought 

 forward by Mr. Couthouy. It might be determined possibly in 

 a group like the Feejees by observing, with marks attached to 

 different species, the rate of growth in summer and in winter, or 

 at the surface, and in the colder water of the bottom. It will 

 probably be found that some species prefer the hot water of 80° 

 or higher, while others increase most rapidly at 71° or 72°, or 

 perhaps at even a lower temperature. The range of temperature 

 is all that I pretend to have arrived at. On leaving the Feejees, 

 by comparing my results with such other information as I could 

 then obtain, 1 set the lowest limit, in my manuscript, at 70°, to 

 be corrected after farther investigation. The Sandwich Islands 

 reduced the limit to 68°, and additional facts have lowered it 

 to 66°. 



An instance of equivocation is very apparent in the unfortunate 

 sentence to which we have alluded on a preceding page. — He is 

 quoting from his Boston article to prove that he there made 76° 

 F, the flourishing temperature, and brings in the clause referred 

 to, "where that exists (76° F.) l is the field of their most lavish 

 display.' " (p. 385.) — But in the Boston Journal, this field of their 

 most lavish display, has very different limits. On page 160 it 

 reads, "among the Paumotus, the field of their most lavish display, 

 the temperature varies from 77° to 83°." The change in the 

 idea is most unfortunate, as the original is less objectionable. 

 We may reasonably hesitate before we give full credit to the 

 statements of one who will so prove false to his own writings. 



I was led into error by a friend, with regard to Mr. Couthouy 's 

 views having been presented to the Geological Association at 

 Boston : but this matters little with the point at issue. 



My readers are probably satisfied that I have not " misused con- 

 fidence," nor exhibited " any thing like an approach to unfair- 

 ness," nor attributed to Mr. C. "imaginary statements," "ficti- 

 tious facts," opinions never expressed, direct from my "imagina- 

 tive brain," and that there is more than " one syllable of truth" 

 in my plea, with nothing of that "gross and inexcusable misrep- 

 resentation" which is to stamp me as guilty of " behavior the 

 most dishonorable." 



I might dwell upon the admission by Mr. C. that the fact of 

 the absence of corals from the Gallapagos was not verified by 



