only question for consideration by the zoologist, in respect to descent, in his classification, is, Are the distinguishing characteristics of the animal permanent in the race, or variable? If variable, to what extent? Having ascertained these, he classes his animal accordingly.

It is, therefore, apparent that we were not compelled, in reference to the zoological history of man, to refer to the Scriptures at all;-that the zoological and theological questions are really distinct, and perhaps should be kept apart. But they have been so constantly mingled together, by some eminent authors, to disprove the authenticity of Revelation, and by others to support it, that the pure zoological question has been lost between them, in the heat of the controversy. We have purposely kept them together, not because our system required it, but because we fancied that all the known historical and scientific facts clearly support Revelation, and several other sciences could be benefited by a comprehensive view of the two subjects in connexion. Those, however, who are dissatisfied with our scriptural nomenclature, and give a preference to any other, may adopt their own, and discard our reasoning in support of ours, without materially impairing our zoological history of man.

CHAPTER IV.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF VEGETABLES AND ANIMALS OVER THE EARTH IS NOT ANALOGOUS TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE HUMAN SPECIES, AND THEREFORE SUCH DISTRIBUTION WILL NOT ASSIST OUR INVESTIGATIONS IN RELATION TO MAN.

As vegetables necessarily constitute all the food, raiment, and most of the comforts of man, mediately or immediately, they may appear to bear a most important influence upon his distribution; and as this influence is found to prevail universally in relation to animals, some philosophers, reasoning from analogy, have supposed man to have been subject to the same laws of distribution. In short, that a single centre of distribution of the human species, as recorded by Moses, from the garden of Eden, is disproved by analogy of vegetable and animal distribution. We entertain a contrary opinion, and think it can be philosophically proved, that there is, in this respect, no analogy between the lower organic kingdoms, and man; and that a single centre of distribution for him is philosophical.

The geographic distribution of vegetables and animals over the earth, is one of the most pleasing and highly interesting subjects of inquiry. It will abundantly repay the philosopher for his trouble, inde

pendently of any expectation that, by its assistance, he will be enabled to unravel the mysterious history of man. The investigator, whose heart is in its right place, finds, at every step in his progress, the infinite wisdom, benevolence, and bounty of Him by whom the whole furniture of the world is arranged with so much precision and beauty. He finds apartments provided for each organism consistent with its most perfect development, its highest enjoyment, and abundant provision for its wants.

The habitats of vegetables and animals are influenced by such a variety of causes, embracing the geological formations and climatic influences of the earth, that the field of investigation is unbounded in extent, variety, and interest. Every spot of the globe appears to be more congenial to some peculiar organisms than others; for while we discover strong contrasts between the vegetables and animals of the different great quarters of the globe-nay in the same quarters when separated by mountains, deserts, or lakes-a close inquirer discovers different plants and animals, near neighbors to each other, and yet as strictly confined to their habitats as if oceans rolled between them.

Although vegetables are much lower in the scale of organic mechanism than animals, yet the power of chemical assimilation is possessed by the former in a far higher degree than the latter. No animal has the power of converting inorganic substances into nourishment, to supply the daily waste of the body, or add to its growth; but vegetables have this power; and by the continual exercise of it, are con

stantly laying up stores of them, in proper chemical combinations, to nourish the animal kingdom. The distribution, therefore, of vegetables must have preceded that of animals, agreeably to which order we will pursue our hasty survey.

There are three theories which have been adopted and advocated, to account for the distribution of vegetation over the earth. First, that there was one centre of vegetation, from whence it was gradually distributed over the globe. Secondly, that plants had several different centres of vegetation, from which the species were propagated and dispersed. Thirdly, that wherever a suitable soil and climate were found, vegetables peculiarly suited to them sprang up, from whence they were distributed.

The first theory was adopted by the great naturalist, Linnæus. He supposed that the creation of vegetables took place in a warm climate, in which was a high mountain range, embracing all climates of the earth, from the torrid to the frigid zones. He attributes their general distribution to the agency of winds, rivers, marine currents, birds, animals, and man. Such agencies are, no doubt, competent to the task; but in order to establish this theory it is not only necessary to account for the possibility of a distribution by such agencies, but it is also necessary to show that some Alpine spot, in the torrid zone, actually possesses, not only all the climates of the world in a general sense, but in the particular sense which fits it for one kind of vegetation rather than another. Climate and soil, as they relate to heat, cold, and fertility, are not the only things which

adapt a place for the growth of all plants. If there is such a spot on the globe, it should now contain types of all the species of plants, now found in all the great divisions of the earth;-if there is such a spot, it must not only have thermal divisions agreeing with the peculiarities of all other parts of the globe, but must be laid out with mountains, oceans, lakes, rivers, deserts,—every variety of minerals and soils, currents of air, dryness, moisture, and the thousand things which constitute the infinite variety of climates and soils, adapted to different vegetables. We know of no such spot. The vegetation of every great division of the globe differs essentially from that of every other; and this difference is produced not more by the mean temperature of a climate, than by the extremes of heat and cold, and their distribution through the months of the year;not more by the general fertility of a soil, than by the presence or absence of certain metals, salts, and earths. These circumstances are much influenced by causes peculiar to the several divisions of the globe, which cannot be supposed to be combined in any one locality. Thus we find the Botany of New Holland, Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America, to differ in many instances generically, and on many more specifically, from each other. So, also, is the character of vegetation sometimes influenced in the same continent, in a very important manner, by a particular location of mountains, deserts, salt or fresh water lakes or seas, in regard to prevailing currents of winds. Africa, south of the Sahara Desert, presents a wholly differ