OCEAN WAVES 
i»5 
or planted, I was so much surprised at their numbers that I 
went to several points of view, whence I could examine hundreds 
of acres of the unenclosed heath, and literally I could not see 
a single Scotch fir, except the old planted clumps. But on 
looking closely between the stems of the heath, I found a multi- 
tude of seedlings and little trees which had been perpetually 
browsed down by the cattle. In one square yard, at a point 
some hundred yards distant from one of the old clumps, I 
counted thirty-two little trees, and one of them, with twenty-six 
rings of growth, had during many years tried to raise its head 
above the stems of the heath, and failed. No wonder that as 
soon as the land was enclosed it became thickly clothed with 
vigorously growing young firs. Yet the heath was so extremely 
barren and so extensive that no one would ever have imagined 
that cattle would have so closely and effectually searched it for 
food. 
“ Here we see that cattle absolutely determine the existence 
of the Scotch fir. . . (“Origin of Species,” sixth edition, 
1885, p. 56). 
I need only add that “Past and Present” was published at 
the beginning of April, 1843 (“Carlyle’s Life in London,” by 
J. A. Froude, Silver Library Edition, 1897, vol. i., p. 306). 
“The Origin of Species” was published in November, 1859 
(“ Charles Darwin ; His Life,” &c., Cheap Edition, 1902, 
p. 41). In the autobiographical portion of the Life I have 
just quoted, Darwin mentions having met Carlyle several times 
during the period 1839-1842 (Op. cit., p. 36). I do not for a 
moment wish to imply that Darwin was indebted in any way 
to Carlyle. On the other hand, it appears probable that Carlyle 
arrived at his conclusion quite independently, unless he got the 
idea from Lamarck’s “ Philosophic Zoologique,” a work I am 
not sufficiently well acquainted with, however, to state posi- 
tively if the point is touched upon therein. Carlyle was an 
omnivorous reader, and it is more than likely that he read that 
suggestive essay. Lamarck is casually referred to in connection 
with the death of Mirabeau in Carlyle’s “French Revolution” 
(vol. ii. , People’s Edition, p. 119). 
George Pernet, M.B. 
OCEAN WAVES. 
HOUGH among the movements of the waters of the 
ocean which we class under the name of waves are 
those due to tidal attraction and to earthquake dis- 
turbance, most of the waves we see are due to the 
immediate or more remote action of wind. A gentle breeze 
ripples the surface of any water, whilst higher waves are mainly 
dependent upon the greater strength of the wind, and the depth 
and breadth of the water. Fresh water being, however, lighter 
