RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1861.03.23. We must not suppose every country as rich as Europe in successive fossils. CUL-DAR205.9.362. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 10.2021. 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].


[362]

22

March 23d 61.

We must not suppose every country as rich as Europe in successive fossils. I was much struck with paucity, during voyage of B; but thought that it might be wholly due to want of examination. Look at C. of Good Hope, which has been explored by so many observers, how few it has yielded; look at whole vast peninsula of India which during many years has been largely explored & lately geologically survey (quote. Horner address about the sq. thousands of miles.) quote Oldham about 3 great formations only separated by leaves of trees). Look at Australia geologically surveyed - Look from R. Plata to W. Indies, not well known - granite has few. Are Tertiary fr Rio Plata to T. del Fuego - Cordillera from

[362v]

T. del F. to Peru, almost all cretaceous [3 words excised]

In Peru we get richness - In N. America Palæozoic rich - secondary until we come to chalk pretty rich & Tertiary pretty rich. See Map. So that through known world – immense & - widely extended formations of one age or beds extremely poor. No doubt record will be greatly improved - very rich countries will be discovered; but we may believe Europe was specially formed like Malay Archipelago. So grand & perfect a sequence.


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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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