[D12]

Feb. 26/56/

Arguments against Atlantis

New Zealand not all volcanic.

I saw in Murchison Map of Europe, that Mediterranean islds composed of most diverse formation like Mainland. Why on earth if Madeira & co part of continent why any volcanic & Tertiary.

Lyell tells me Alps up & down enough to account for connection – but to make connection we shd require table land 12,000 ft high, & remember how rare these are except round very high mountains – We cannot argue from elevation of a mountain chain elevation of whole continent; on contrary there seems probability of elevation being then greatest – How this may be in subsidence I know not. Lakes at foot of volcano.

We shall have evidence from Lyell that Madeira an isld or on coast in Miocene period, & the land shells at a geological period were as distinct as now. This can be explained if current sets across & requires only that they shd have been peopled from a common source, instead of from each other; indeed if species are altered then some probability wd be altered differently  (7 per cent are the same) ie on my view that nature of other inhabitants the most important element in altering other species.

 

The Barrier, supposed to exist, must have existed during cold & warmer period & therefore of great length (ie directly opposed to Wollaston (N.B, how striking it is that Birds & sea-shells which can enter freely are not specifically altered) & therefore I must think nearly all must have immigrated – for it must have been a broad barrier to have connected all these continents

The little connection now (or geologically) as Madeira & P. Santos stand on the 1000 fathom bank, shows like the Azorean production not being American, that as far as we can judge, depth does not influence the degree of connection. When depth comes to that degree Azores in this respect may be an exception.

 

With respect to Forbes arguing for sea-shells. Galapagos which has so many common to West Coast & Pacific isld even as far as Philippines shows there must be some means

 

[12v]

Arguments against Atlantis

(2

whether eggs or larvæ, or attached to floating timber or sea-weed. For Galapagos cd not have been connected by land with Pacific islands distance being nearly 40° = 2400 miles & 2700-2800 to group. Sandwich & all other isld. The distance to many in common. Of course this no argument against double creations.

The connexion [illeg] must say connexion before & during glacial period; for according to analogy much time required subsequently to account for number of endemic species.

Smallness of actual population of Plants.

A fossil Azorean genus, not now fd in Madeira. When land stood higher coast-line wd have been a little nearer.

Galapagos distinctness is wonderfully opposed to distribution except by continuous land.

Absence of frogs & mammifers – presence of Bats & Birds strong case. Lyell says, I think Land Mollusca introduced & spread rapidly. 3 or so from one flower pot & a Linnaeus introduced all over isld— shows that now not well stocked & show how few individuals will give rise to new stock.

Countries with Mediterranean islds not volcanic; not very deep water inhabited by mammals. Frogs? Is there any Fauna of Corsica, or Sardinia &c.

=Proportion of plants if same strong argument for connexion no use DeCandolle if such holds good. Wd Watson do that for me or Bunbury for Madeira. Standard S. Europe.

The isld themselves may have been larger. (If it be assumed that the isld receive very little from each other, as only 7⁄100 of land shells: how account for species common to Madeira & Azores not fd in Europe; how many exist)

But say are few.

 

[D13]

Argument against Atlantis

To attempt to explain how isld peopled, is more difficult than to explain why wind blew in particular direction yesterday (give statue metaphor), yet we doubt not each breath of has been the inevitable consequence regular laws: so we shd be very slow to admit miraculous population of each isld. It will be worth while to speculate on some of the more obvious difficulties we will say in case of Africa if sea transport, course of regular & occasional currents, which must have varied greatly with glacial period. Whirlwinds, so common on Africa yet must have varied. Population of Africa – At old times, flora of N. Africa probably like middle Europe. [illeg] Birds will affect nothing, if no hawks to kill them. Still more important whether isld well stocked; in early days when rising wd be more easily stocked. Cliffs like St. Helena, wd effectively bar sea-animals. Presence of great river to wash down many trees, a great element, some seeds float some plants float longer, some seeds resist salt-water best. Fish eating seeds carried by herons. Former extension of land.

If Atlantis formerly existed inhabitants of P. Santo & Madeira ought to be incomparably more closely connected than they are, for connection endured long.

 

[D13v]

State that of course I cannot explain all cases of difficulty – connexion of Plants & insects between Africa & India resemblance of shells of Samoa & [few words illeg]

Dana Case of several crabs on both sides of Cordillera