THE GEOLOGIST. 



MARCH 1862. 



EOSSIL MONKEYS. 

 By Charles Carter Blake, Esq. 



In these days of progress, when the alleged origin of the human 

 race from a transmuted gorilla is canvassed as a demonstrable and 

 demonstrated theory by many geologists and zoologists, and the pens 

 of various distinguished writers are occupied to prove the absolute 

 identity of man's physiological and psychological nature with that of 

 the beasts of the field, it behoves the candid student of paleontology 

 to inquire what are the fossil members of the Order of Mammalia 

 immediately beneath man — the Quadnimana, and whether they are 

 such individuals as might fulfil the hypothetical condition of being 

 his ancestors, under any of the " derivative " theories propounded by 

 Darwin or Lamarck. 



In venturing upon this field of error, doubt, and confusion, I w.jsh 

 dispassionately to endeavour to divest myself of any adherence to any 



Humerus of Lri/opithecus Fo7itani. (Scale ^ linear.) 



prevailing doctrine. Imbued strongly with the conviction of the unity 

 of type of all animals, and with the probability of their common 



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