Page:The origin of continents and oceans - Wegener, tr. Skerl - 1924.djvu/109

Rh assumption of a former large continental area uniting the southern continents. Thus Jaworski, by an examination of all possible objections (which naturally are not absent here) arrived at the result: “All that is known geologically of West Africa and of South America is in complete agreement with the assumption, to which we have arrived from the study of zoögeographical and phytogeographical facts of the present and of the past, that in the earliest periods of the earth a land connection was in existence between Africa and South America in the place of the present South Atlantic Ocean.” Engler was drawn to the conclusion from phytogeographical data that “on consideration of all these relations, the occurrences adduced of common plant-types in America and Africa would best find their explanation, if we were able to show that between Northern Brazil, south-east of the estuaries of the River Amazon, and the Bay of Biafra in West Africa, there had existed great islands or a land-mass connecting the continents; and a further connection might be postulated between Natal and Madagascar, the continuation of which in a north-easterly direction towards India, which was separated from the Sino-Australian continent, has already been long asserted. Besides, the numerous affinities of the Cape flora to that of Australia make a connection with Australia by means of the Antarctic continent desirable.” The latest connections seem to have prevailed between Northern Brazil and the Guinea Coast: “West Africa has in common with tropical South and Central America the sea-cow Manatus, which lives in streams and shallow warm sea-water, but is unable to swim