Page:The Geologist, volume 5.djvu/104

82 origin by secondary law, yet I advocate no theory which derives man- kind from any known recent or fossil species of animal. Convinced of the distinctive peculiarities of the human brain, characters not satisfactorily demonstrated in any animal, yet I do not shut my eyes to the analogy which sometimes exists between the structures in the lowest men and the highest apes. Affirming both man's psychological supremacy, as "a little lower than the angels," and his physiological adaptation as the highest of animals, contradicting neither the cherished and captivating precepts of Teleology, nor the bold and comprehensive generalizations of Morphology, the palæontologist who loves truth alone for truth's sake has most need to join in the prayer of Bunsen,

Geological science, steadily progressing since the time of Cuvier, in whose time no species of fossil monkey was known, now discloses to us no fewer than thirteen species of Quadrumana, as by the annexed table:—

It is worthy of remark that no fossil species of Strepsirhine Quadrumana, or Lemurs, has hitherto been discovered; but when we reflect on the restricted locality of the modern Lemuridæ to Madagascar and to a few of the islands of the Indian Archipelago, countries where the geologist's hammer has not yet rung, we may reasonably expect that the industry of such enterprising travellers as Dr. Sandwith may procure for us evidence of fossil Lemurs. The à priori analogy in favour of their existence in the tertiary strata rests upon the fact