1808 
pkesidekt’s address. 
similar circumstances in the Permian, and so at last disappearing 
altogether from the earth. 
It follows that we must regard this new or Mesozoic flora, 
more hardy and more stunted than that which preceded, to have 
originated in the Africo-Indo-Australian Continent during the 
period of refrigeration, and subsequently during a similar alter- 
ation in northern climates to have extended itself northwards 
throughout the whole north temperate zone. 
And it is probable that the great revolution which occurred in 
the marine fauna also, at the close of the Palaeozoic period, may 
be due to the great depression of temperature, which, extending 
during the Upper Carboniferous period over the whole southern 
hemisphere (Dr. W. makes an exception of South America), 
subsequently in Permian times spread over the greater part of the 
globe. (Dr. W. regards our Hawkesbuiys as Permian.) I believe 
that this is a fair abstract of Dr. Waagen’s views, which at first 
sight seem as probable as they are ingenious. But there is 
something to be said on the other side. 
I gave Dr. Waagen’s ipsissma verba in a rather long quotation 
above, because that draft on our imagination is a very heavy 
one, and demands the strictest scrutiny. To the first paragraph 
(§1) no exception can be taken; the resemblance of the forma- 
tions is the basis of all speculation upon the relations between 
the geological structures of South Africa, India, and Aus- 
tralia, and must not be dropped out of sight for a moment. 
But it does not follow that all the rest of Dr. Waagen’s 
views should be accepted. Some of them appear to me to 
be more than doubtful. The hypothesis (§2) that a great conti- 
nent, not Antarctic, nor even all of it south of the equator, 
united, during and before the Triassic period, Africa, India, and 
Australia is quite unsupported, and indeed seems to be hardly in 
accordance with ascertained facts. The land connection between 
Africa and India, the IjEMURIA of Dr. Hartlaub, has been 
conclusively shown by Wallace — “ Island Life,” p. 394 sq. — to be 
(like Atlantis) an assumption not only without warrant, but to be 
