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
formerly ranged from Navidad as far south as Santa Cruz in latitude 50
degrees. If, instead of comparing the fossils of Navidad, as we have
hitherto done, with the shells now living on the west coast of South
America, we compare them with those found in other parts of the world,
under nearly similar latitudes; for instance, in the southern parts of
the Mediterranean or of Australia, there is no evidence that the sea
off Navidad was formerly hotter than what might have been expected from
its latitude, even if it was somewhat warmer than it now is when cooled
by the great southern polar current. Several of the most tropical
genera have no representative fossils at Navidad; and there are only
single species of Cassis, Pyrula, and Sigaretus, two of Pleurotoma and
two of Terebra, but none of these species are of conspicuous size. In
Patagonia, there is even still less evidence in the character of the
fossils, of the climate having been formerly warmer. (It may be worth
while to mention that the shells living at the present day on this
eastern side of South America, in latitude 40 degrees, have perhaps a
more tropical character than those in corresponding latitudes on the
shores of Europe: for at Bahia Blanca and S. Blas, there are two fine
species of Voluta and four of Oliva.) As from the various reasons
already assigned, there can be little doubt that the formations of
Patagonia and at least of Navidad and Coquimbo in Chile, are the
equivalents of an ancient stage in the tertiary formations of the
northern hemisphere, the conclusion that the climate of the southern
seas at this period was not hotter than what might have been expected
from the latitude of each place, appears to me highly important; for we
must believe, in accordance with the views of Mr. Lyell, that the
causes which gave to the older tertiary productions of the quite
temperate zones of Europe a tropical character, WERE OF A LOCAL
CHARACTER AND DID NOT AFFECT THE ENTIRE GLOBE. On the other hand, I
have endeavoured to show, in the “Geological Transactions,” that, at a
much later period, Europe and North and South America were nearly
contemporaneously subjected to ice- action, and consequently to a
colder, or at least more equable, climate than that now characteristic
of the same latitudes.
ON THE ABSENCE OF EXTENSIVE MODERN CONCHIFEROUS DEPOSITS IN SOUTH
AMERICA; AND ON THE CONTEMPORANEOUSNESS OF THE OLDER TERTIARY DEPOSITS
AT DISTANT POINTS BEING DUE TO CONTEMPORANEOUS MOVEMENTS OF SUBSIDENCE.
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