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
At the period, so recent in a geological sense, when these extinct
mammifers existed, the two Americas must have swarmed with quadrupeds,
many of them of gigantic size; for, besides those more particularly
referred to in this chapter, we must include in this same period those
wonderfully numerous remains, some few of them specifically, and others
generically related to those of the Pampas, discovered by MM. Lund and
Clausen in the caves of Brazil. Finally, the facts here given show how
cautious we ought to be in judging of the antiquity of a formation from
even a great amount of difference between the extinct and living
species in any one class of animals;—we ought even to be cautious in
accepting the general proposition, that change in organic forms and
lapse of time are at all, necessarily, correlatives.
LOCALITIES WITHIN THE REGION OF THE PAMPAS WHERE GREAT BONES HAVE BEEN
FOUND.
The following list, which includes every account which I have hitherto
met with of the discovery of fossil mammiferous remains in the Pampas,
may be hereafter useful to a geologist investigating this region, and
it tends to show their extraordinary abundance. I heard of and saw many
fossils, the original position of which I could not ascertain; and I
received many statements too vague to be here inserted. Beginning to
the south:—we have the two stations in Bahia Blanca, described in this
chapter, where at P. Alta, the Megatherium, Megalonyx, Scelidotherium,
Mylodon, Holophractus (or an allied genus), Toxodon, Macrauchenia, and
an Equus were collected; and at M. Hermoso a Ctenomys, Hydrochaerus,
some other rodents and the bones of a great megatheroid quadruped.
Close north-east of the S. Tapalguen, we have the Rios ‘Huesos’ (i.e.
“bones”), which probably takes its name from large fossil bones. Near
Villa Nuevo, and at Las Averias, not far from the Salado, three nearly
perfect skeletons, one of the Megatherium, one of the Glyptodon
clavipes, and one of some great Dasypoid quadruped, were found by the
agent of Sir W. Parish (see his work “Buenos Ayres” etc. page 171). I
have seen the tooth of a Mastodon from the Salado; a little northward
of this river, on the borders of a lake near the G. del Monte, I saw
many bones, and one large piece of dermal armour; higher up the Salado,
there is a place called Monte “Huesos.” On the Matanzas, about twenty
miles south of Buenos Ayres, the skeleton (vide page 178 of “Buenos
Ayres” etc. by Sir W. Parish) of a Glyptodon was found about five feet
beneath the surface; here also (see Catalogue of Royal College of
Surgeons) remains of Glyptodon clavipes, G. ornatus, and G. reticulatus
were found. Signor Angelis, in a letter which I have seen, refers to
some great remains found in Buenos Ayres, at a depth of twenty varas
from the surface. Seven leagues north of this city the same author
found the skeletons of Mylodon robustus and Glyptodon ornatus. From
this neighbourhood he has lately sent to the British Museum the
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