Prof, Gaudry on Tertiary Mammalia. 471 



species of Europe ought in their turn to be considered analogous to 

 the animals of the Upper Miocene. These are — Semnopitliecus 

 monspessulanus is analogous to Mesopitheciis, Hycena Perrieri and 

 brevirostris to H. eximia, Sus provincialis to S. antiquus, Mastodon 

 arvernensis to M. longirostris and Pentelici, Tapirus arvernensis and 

 major to T. priscus, Antilope Cordieri to Tragocerus amaltlieus, Dicro- 

 ceriis australis to D. aninoceriis. These analogies reveal a certain re- 

 semblance between the fauna of the Upper Miocene and those which 

 have preceded and followed it. Although this resemblance shows 

 itself more in the general aspect than in the detail, it ought to 

 be fully considered by those who wish to understand the plan of 

 creation. Indeed, in admitting that which is called the law of 

 creation, we must suppose either that in creating the beings of one 

 geological epoch, the Creator has partly taken for models those of 

 preceding epochs, or believe that the analogies represent a connexion 

 with some near or remote parentage. M. Gaudry prefers the latter 

 hypothesis, because the majority of species have a greater number 

 of resemblances, than of differences, so that it would appear more 

 simple to derive one from the other, than to destroy them in order 

 to replace them, and thus species have not a distinct origin, but are 

 of the same type which has undergone slight modifications. 



VI. — "For more than twenty years," writes M. Gaudry, "the 

 history of the modern period appeared to indicate the absence of 

 natural races. 



" The Mummies of Egypt have not offered any differences which 

 the animals now living do not maintain, and we can only conclude 

 that the species were unchanged. 



" But now it is acknowledged that the actual epoch reaches back 

 much further than the age of the Egyptian mummies ; so that, as 

 remarked by the illustrious Pictet (whose loss we all deplore), the 

 existing Fauna is only a part of the Quaternary Fauna ; for that period 

 comprehends nearly all the modern species of Mammalia, and we 

 can perhaps only distinguish a few of the larger quadrupeds which 

 were displaced before historic times. 



"But it is very probable that many of the animals named as 

 characteristic of the Quaternary epoch are of the same species as 

 those now existing, and represent only particular varieties or races : 

 for example, the spotted Hysena, the Lion, the European Bison, the 

 existing Bovidce, the Cervus elapJius, seem to be only modified 

 varieties of the Hycena spelcea, the Felis spelcea, the Bison priscus, the 

 Bos primigenius and the Gervus Canadensis of the Quaternary deposits. 



?,i © €' O 



" I could greatly multiply examples ; these, however, are doubtless 

 sufficient to explain within what limits animals issuing from the 

 same parents appear to me to merit the name of species or represent 

 only the race. 



" Whatever be the difficulties of indicating the separation between 

 extinct species and races, I think that this task is worthy to attract 

 the attention of Naturalists." J. M. 



