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
1. Rostellaria Gaudichaudi, d’Orbigny “Voyage” Pal. 2. Pectunculus
Paytensis, d’Orbigny “Voyage” Pal. 3. Venus petitiana, d’Orbigny
“Voyage” Pal. 4. Ostrea Patagonica? This great oyster (of which
specimens have been given me) cannot be distinguished by Mr. Sowerby
from some of the varieties from Patagonia; though it would be hazardous
to assert it is the same with that species, or with that from Coquimbo.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
The formations described in this chapter, have, in the case of Chiloe
and probably in that of Concepcion and Navidad, apparently been
accumulated in troughs formed by submarine ridges extending parallel to
the ancient shores of the continent; in the case of the islands of
Mocha and Huafo it is highly probable, and in that of Ypun and Lemus
almost certain, that they were accumulated round isolated rocky centres
or nuclei, in the same manner as mud and sand are now collecting round
the outlying islets and reefs in the West Indian Archipelago. Hence, I
may remark, it does not follow that the outlying tertiary masses of
Mocha and Huafo were ever continuously united at the same level with
the formations on the mainland, though they may have been of
contemporaneous origin, and been subsequently upraised to the same
height. In the more northern parts of Chile, the tertiary strata seem
to have been separately accumulated in bays, now forming the mouths of
valleys.
The relation between these several deposits on the shores of the
Pacific, is not nearly so clear as in the case of the tertiary
formations on the Atlantic. Judging from the form and height of the
land (evidence which I feel sure is here much more trustworthy than it
can ever be in such broken continents as that of Europe), from the
identity of mineralogical composition, from the presence of fragments
of lignite and of silicified wood, and from the intercalated layers of
imperfect coal, I must believe that the coast-formations from Central
Chiloe to Concepcion, a distance of 400 miles, are of the same age:
from nearly similar reasons, I suspect that the beds of Mocha, Huafo,
and Ypun, belong also to the same period. The commonest shell in Mocha
and Huafo is the same species of Turritella; and I believe the same
Cytheraea is found on the islands of Huafo, Chiloe, and Ypun; but with
these trifling exceptions, the few organic remains found at these
places are distinct. The numerous shells from Navidad, with the
exception of two, namely, the Sigaretus and Turritella found at Ypun,
are likewise distinct from those found in any other part of this coast.
Coquimbo has Cardium auca in common with Concepcion, and Fusus
Cleryanus with Huafo; I may add, that Coquimbo has Venus petitiana, and
a gigantic oyster (said by M. d’Orbigny also to be found a little south
of Concepcion) in common with Payta, though this latter place is
situated twenty-two degrees northward of latitude 27 degrees, to which
point the Coquimbo formation extends.
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