Claypole on (Daj'win and Geology. 215 
nation with which in later and more mature years he met the 
appeal of other geologists to, similar means of escape from diffi- 
culty, Edward Forbes was the most daring member of this 
school, which, in order to explain certain facts in the distribu- 
tion of animals and j^lants, did not scruple to conjure up conti- 
nents in several parts of the globe now occupied by deep sea, 
and where the soundings afford no base whatever for such crea- 
tions. Thus "Lemuria" was imagined to extend across the In- 
dian ocean from the East Indies to Madagascar, while another 
continent built by the same "joontifex" Forbes, extended from 
Europe to North America, and vet a third to the " Sargasso 
bank." Hooker in like manner called into being a long bridge 
from New Zealand to South America and thence on to Kergue- 
len Land almost girdling the earth in that latitude. These 
were constructed for the convenience of species whose resem- 
blance to others at distant points could not be explained without 
some means of migration. Instability with these geologists be- 
came the law of continental evolution, and the geography of 
the earth in their hands changed so rapidly and so frequently 
as to remind the spectator of a kaleidoscopic exhibition. Even 
Lyell fell under the spell of these views for awhile in spite of 
his strong uniformitarian proclivity. But Darwin's work had 
led him in a different direction. His observations had shown 
him that the distribution of animals and plants was not so de- 
pendent on continuous land surfaces as these naturalists sup- 
posed. He had found that the chapter of accidents could be 
depended on for a vast number of exceptions to the general 
rules, and he had learned to trust it firmly when no clear con- 
nection could be found. His belief in orderly sequence and 
regular developement even of geographical outlines was un- 
shaken, and the balance of his judgment went against cata- 
strophe even here. Hence his indignation at the " feats " of 
Forbes, Hooker and others of the same school, and at last with 
his old master Lyell himself. In 1S56 he wrote to the latter: 
"My blood gets hot with passion and turns cold alternately 
at the geological strides which many of your disciples are tak- 
ing." "Woodward writes that if you grant a continent over 
♦^wo or three hundred miles of ocean dejDths (as if that were 
flothing) why not extend a continent to evcrv island in the Pa- 
