207 
“Lord Shaftesbury’s Glasgow Address.” 
“ Commencement of the Second Christian Epoch.” 
“ Christian Dogmatics.” By Van Oostersee. 
“The Miracle Recorded in Joshua.” By late Rev. E. Biley. 
“ Newton’s Principia.” 
“ Pratt’s Mechanical Philosophy.” 
“ Sir W. Hamilton’s Philosophy.” 
“ Records of the Past,” 2 vols. 
“World Scientifically Considered.” By C. Thompson. 
The following paper was then read by the Author : — 
From the Author. 
Ditto 
Messrs. Ilodder. 
Messrs. Datchard. 
J. W. Lea, Esq- 
Ditto 
Ditto 
Messrs. Bcigstcr. 
From the Author. 
ON THE BEARING OF CERTAIN PALjE ONTO LO- 
GICAL FACTS UPON THE DARWINIAN THEORY 
OF THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES, AND ON THE 
GENERAL DOCTRINE OF EVOLUTION. By H. 
Alleyn e Nicholson, M.D., D.Sc., M.A., E.R.S.E., Professor 
of Biology in the Durham University College of Physical 
Science, Newcastle-on-Tyne. 
nVT"0 science, probably, will ultimately have more to say 
Jl 1 in the proof or disproof of the general doctrine of 
evolution as applied to the kingdoms of organic nature, 
than Palajontology. I do not, however, in the present com- 
munication, propose to discuss at length this wide question. 
I propose, rather, to take a more limited held, and to examine 
shortly the bearing of certain portions of palaeontological 
evidence upon the Darwinian theory of the origin of species, — 
a theory which is only one method of explaining how evolu- 
tion may have taken place, and which is totally independent of 
the general doctrine of evolution. In carrying out the object 
which I have in view on this occasion, I shall, for the most 
part, follow Mr. Darwin through his celebrated chapter on 
“ The Imperfection of the Geological Record,” in which he 
fairly states the chief objections which he conceives to be 
capable of being brought forward out of geology and palaeon- 
tology against his theory, and in which he endeavours, with 
much ingenuity, to rebut these objections. 
Before entering, however, upon the proper subject of my 
paper, it may be as well to indicate the general conclusions 
to which we might be led, as regards this subject, from a 
study of palaeontology or zoology ; since there seems, in the 
minds of some, both of those who are in favour of evolution 
and of those who are opposed to it, to exist some confusion on 
this point : — 
First, then, we might be led by a study of the facts of the 
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