The foundations of The origin of species : a sketch written in 1842 / edited by Francis Darwin.
- Charles Darwin
- Date:
- 1909
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The foundations of The origin of species : a sketch written in 1842 / edited by Francis Darwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![causing much extermination1. The mountains of Europe were quite lately covered with ice, and the lowlands probably partaking of the Arctic climate and Fauna. Then as climate changed, arctic fauna would take place of ice, and an inundation of plants from different temperate countries (would) seize the lowlands, leaving islands of arctic forms. But if this had happened on an island, whence could the new forms have come,—here the geologist calls in crea¬ tionists. If island formed, the geologist will suggest (that) many of the forms might have been borne from nearest land, but if peculiar, he calls in creationist,— as such island rises in height &c., he still more calls in creation. The creationist tells one, on a (illegible) spot the American spirit of creation makes Orpheus and Tyrannus and American doves, and in accord¬ ance with past and extinct forms, but no persistent relation between areas and distribution, Geologico- Geograph.-Distribution. 1 (The following is written on the back of a page of the ms.) Discuss one or more centres of creation: allude strongly to facilities of dispersal and amount of geological change: allude to mountain-summits afterwards to be referred to. The distribution varies, as everyone knows, according to adaptation, explain going from N. to S. how we come to fresh groups of species in the same general region, but besides this we find difference, according to greatness of barriers, in greater proportion than can be well accounted for by adaptation. (On representive species see Origin, Ed. i. p. 349, vi. p. 496.) This very striking when we think of cattle of Pampas, plants (?) &c. &c. Then go into discussion; this holds with 3 or 4 main divisions as well as the endless minor ones in each of these 4 great ones : in these I chiefly refer to mammalia &c. &c. The similarity of type, but not in species, in same continent has been much less insisted on than the dissimilarity of different great regions generically: it is more striking. (I have here omitted an incomprehensible sentence.) Galapagos Islands, Tristan d’Acunha, volcanic islands covered with craters we know lately did not support any organisms. How unlike these islands in nature to neighbouring lands. These facts perhaps more striking than almost any others. [Geology apt to affect geography therefore we ought to expect to find the above.] Geological-geographical distribution. In looking to past times we find Australia equally distinct. S. America was distinct, though with more forms in common. N. America its nearest neighbour more in common, —in some respects more, in some less allied to Europe. Europe we find (?) equally European. For Europe is now part of Asia though not (illegible). Africa unknown,—examples, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Hyaena. As geology destroys geography we cannot be surprised in going far back we find Marsupials and Edentata in Europe: but geology destroys geography.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31351761_0065.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
