RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1845.01. When we think of fossil Mammifer. CUL-DAR205.5.110. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 1.2023. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR205.5 contains notes on the principle of divergence, transitional organs and instincts.
[110]
= Jan – 45 =
When we think of fossil mammifer of S. America, India & Australia, all of late times & that mammifer have lived since the Secondary epochs & swarmed in the Eocene— any Quin arrangement throwing the known forms into a numerical arrangement must be false— Still more with Birds, stronghold of Quinarianism which too find in numbers in New Red in Secondary & in Tertiary— Yet all the fossils all belong to present system, & though may fall into same genera, how many from new genera, families & orders (?) — How then can any many not yet known!! — How then can any arrangement of genera & families into numbers be true?— If it is so shd prove so, when all known, we at least no evidence as yet.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 5 March, 2023