Geological Observations on South AmericaDarwin, Charles
Science
Geological Observations on South America
Darwin, Charles
Beagle Expedition (1831-1836); Geology -- South America; Mollusks, Fossil -- South America; Paleontology
The several mammifers embedded in the Pampean formation, which mostly
belong to extinct genera, and some even to extinct families or orders,
and which differ nearly, if not quite, as much as do the Eocene
mammifers of Europe from living quadrupeds having existed
contemporaneously with mollusca, all still inhabiting the adjoining
sea, is certainly a most striking fact. It is, however, far from being
an isolated one; for, during the late tertiary deposits of Britain, an
elephant, rhinoceros, and hippopotamus co-existed with many recent land
and fresh-water shells; and in North America, we have the best evidence
that a mastodon, elephant, megatherium, megalonyx, mylodon, an extinct
horse and ox, likewise co- existed with numerous land, fresh-water, and
marine recent shells. (Many original observations, and a summary on
this subject, are given in Mr. Lyell’s paper in the “Geological
Proceedings” volume 4 page 3 and in his “Travels in North America”
volume 1 page 164 and volume 2 page 60. For the European analogous
cases see Mr. Lyell’s “Principles of Geology” 6th edition volume 1 page
37.) The enumeration of these extinct North American animals naturally
leads me to refer to the former closer relation of the mammiferous
inhabitants of the two Americas, which I have discussed in my
“Journal,” and likewise to the vast extent of country over which some
of them ranged: thus the same species of the Megatherium, Megalonyx,
Equus (as far as the state of their remains permits of identification),
extended from the Southern United States of North America to Bahia
Blanca, in latitude 39 degrees S., on the coast of Patagonia. The fact
of these animals having inhabited tropical and temperate regions, does
not appear to me any great difficulty, seeing that at the Cape of Good
Hope several quadrupeds, such as the elephant and hippopotamus, range
from the equator to latitude 35 degrees south. The case of the Mastodon
Andium is one of more difficulty, for it is found from latitude 36
degrees S., over, as I have reason to believe, nearly the whole of
Brazil, and up the Cordillera to regions which, according to M.
d’Orbigny, border on perpetual snow, and which are almost destitute of
vegetation: undoubtedly the climate of the Cordillera must have been
different when the mastodon inhabited it; but we should not forget the
case of the Siberian mammoth and rhinoceros, as showing how severe a
climate the larger pachydermata can endure; nor overlook the fact of
the guanaco ranging at the present day over the hot low deserts of
Peru, the lofty pinnacles of the Cordillera, and the damp forest-clad
land of Southern Tierra del Fuego; the puma, also, is found from the
equator to the Strait of Magellan, and I have seen its footsteps only a
little below the limits of perpetual snow in the Cordillera of Chile.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account