Clxxxii PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
the domain of the Biologist as being as much within his sphere as 
the study of existing life. 
It was just ten years after the beginning of the reign that the 
publications of the Palaeontological Society were commenced, and 
since then the examination and description of the innumerable species 
of fossil plants and animals have gone on without interruption. By far 
the most remarkable results, however, have been achieved by two 
American Palaeontologists, Cope and Marsh. Not only have they 
given us a typical pedigree, in the history of the extinct ancestors of 
the horse, but they have given us a new conception of the wonders of 
animal life on our globe in early times by the gigantic reptiles which 
they have unearthed from the Secondary rocks of North America. 
Another memorable discovery was that made by Owen, in 1862, of 
one of the “missing links” between the birds and the reptiles, 
namely, the long-tailed Archceopteryx of the Jurassic rocks. This 
was just a year after the same prolific worker had published his 
classical “ Palieontology.” 
(e) Anthropology.— This branch of Biology, as we have seen, 
has sprung into existence during the Victorian Era. When Man’s 
place in the scale of creation became defined by the doctrine of 
descent, it became evident that his physical structure and the history 
of his appearance on the earth must be viewed from a new stand¬ 
point. Thus, a fresh impulse was given to the study of human 
anatomy and physiology, and, in particular, attention was turned to 
every possible trace of his handiwork or remains in the deposits which 
form the more recent portion of the geological record. The result 
of these investigations has been to add an immense deal to our know¬ 
ledge of the past history of our race, and amongst those who have 
contributed to this result the most prominent names are those of 
Boucher de Perthes, Broca, Lyell, Prestwich, Evans, and James 
Geikie. This investigation is only in its infancy as yet, but 
fresh discoveries are constantly showing that the evidences of primi¬ 
tive man are much more widely distributed than was at one time 
supposed. 
The Art which is most dependent on the science of Biology is 
Medicine, and in this art the progress during the Victorian Era has 
been as remarkable as we have already seen it to have been in the 
science itself. Indeed, one eminent physician, writing in a recent 
number of the Nineteenth Century , remarked that “ Medicine has 
made greater progress during the last sixty years than it had done 
in the previous sixty centuries.” Perhaps the change is best indicated 
by saying that the art has now become thoroughly scientific in its 
methods,—that is to say, it recognises that in order to supplement the 
work of nature, it must understand as thoroughly as possible how 
nature herself works. Amongst the chief causes which have led to 
this advance may be mentioned increased knowledge of the functions 
of many of the organs of the body, and particularly of the liver, the 
pancreas, the spine, and the brain; the introduction of anaesthetics ; 
the discoveries in Bacteriology, and especially in its application to 
the antiseptic treatment of wounds; the improvement in instruments 
and in technique generally; and the increase of specialism in medical 
