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
During a second visit of the “Beagle” to Concepcion, Mr. Kent collected
for me some silicified wood and shells out of the concretions in the
sandstone from Tome, situated a short distance north of Lirguen. They
consist of:—
1. Natica australis, d’Orbigny, “Voyage, Part Pal.” 2. Mactra Araucana,
d’Orbigny, “Voyage, Part Pal.” 3. Trigonia Hanetiana, d’Orbigny,
“Voyage, Part Pal.” 4. Pecten, fragments of, probably two species, but
too imperfect for description. 5. Baculites vagina, E. Forbes. 6.
Nautilus d’Orbignyanus, E. Forbes.
Besides these shells, Captain Belcher found here an Ammonite, nearly
three feet in diameter, and so heavy that he could not bring it away;
fragments are deposited at Haslar Hospital: he also found the
silicified vertebrae of some very large animal. (“Zoology of Captain
Beechey’s Voyage” page 163.) From the identity in mineralogical nature
of the rocks, and from Captain Belcher’s minute description of the
coast between Lirguen and Tome, the fossiliferous concretions at this
latter place certainly belong to the same formation with the beds
examined by myself at Lirguen; and these again are undoubtedly the same
with the strata of Quiriquina; moreover; the three first of the shells
from Tome, though associated in the same concretions with the Baculite,
are identical with the species from Quiriquina. Hence all the sandstone
and lignitiferous beds in this neighbourhood certainly belong to the
same formation. Although the generic character of the Quiriquina
fossils naturally led M. d’Orbigny to conceive that they were of
tertiary origin, yet as we now find them associated with the Baculites
vagina and with an Ammonite, we must, in the opinion of M. d’Orbigny,
and if we are guided by the analogy of the northern hemisphere, rank
them in the Cretaceous system. Moreover, the Baculites vagina, which is
in a tolerable state of preservation, appears to Professor E. Forbes
certainly to be identical with a species, so named by him, from
Pondicherry in India; where it is associated with numerous decidedly
cretaceous species, which approach most nearly to Lower Greensand or
Neocomian forms: this fact, considering the vast distance between Chile
and India, is truly surprising. Again, the Nautilus d’Orbignyanus, as
far as its imperfect state allows of comparison, resembles, as I am
informed by Professor Forbes, both in its general form and in that of
its chambers, two species from the Upper Greensand. It may be added
that every one of the above-named genera from Quiriquina, which have an
apparently tertiary character, are found in the Pondicherry strata.
There are, however, some difficulties on this view of the formations at
Concepcion being cretaceous, which I shall afterwards allude to; and I
will here only state that the Cardium auca is found also at Coquimbo,
the beds at which place, there can be no doubt, are tertiary.
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