RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1844.11. Forbes told me Irish Elk, contemp with ice-period. CUL-DAR205.9.189. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 9.2021. 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-DAR205.9 contains notes on palaeontology and geology [regarding theory of evolution].


[189]

Nov /44 / (Forbes told me Irish Elk, contemp with ice-period.)

Bactrian camel cold = which is largest species

The case of Africa & S. America & N. part of Australia conversely show no relation between Heat & rank vegetation & great mammifers. Indeed Cetaceæ & Seals horse & Bears wd lead to suppose that cold most favourable to large quadrupeds - The greater deer, now found in coldest part & Elk & great cattle in Europe - largest kangaroo in coolest part of Australia = Bison largest mammifers in America, in coldest part & Moose largest Deer = Rein Deer = (work out Australia case) (Falconer colder in India [not equal to] Last period colder & yet more great quadrupeds #) Australia probably cooler. (Frozen woolly Rhinoceros) + Boulders on Kerguelen Land???

[189v]

In S. America - South of Le Plata, desert -but greatest rodents guanaco puma & tiger a large deer also found there.

Pachyderm = large cool cold. continents =

The fact most opposed to this is that the few shells which have become extinct, of those embedded with the great mammifers of Britain, are now inhabitants of warmer climates: (V: Stricklands' Case =) now the Cyrena is a species of a genus, inhabits a warmer climate

Is not largest Antelope as S. African ones. See to argue about the Maldonado deer size of.

Is not Cape Baboon very large one?

It is incomparable the largest Pachyderms being now Tropical and semi-tropical: why not take Cetaceæ? because aquatic.

Separate Paper:


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

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