eontological evidence
is examined at length and the imperfection of the geological record is
strongly emphasised. The conclusion is reached, that, in view of this
extreme imperfection, palaeontology could not reasonably be expected to
yield complete and convincing proof of the evolutionary theory. "I look
at the geological record as a history of the world imperfectly kept,
and written in a changing dialect; of this history we possess the last
volume alone, relating only to two or three countries. Of this volume,
only here and there a short chapter has been preserved; and of each
page, only here and there a few lines." ("Origin of Species", page 289.)
Yet, aside from these inevitable difficulties, he concludes, that "the
other great leading facts in palaeontology agree admirably with the
theory of descent with modification through variation and natural
selection." (Ibid. page 313.)

Darwin's theory gave an entirely new significance and importance to
palaeontology. Cuvier's conception of the science had been a limited,
though a lofty one. "How glorious it would be if we could arrange the
organised products of the universe in their chronological order!... The
chronological succession of organised forms, the exact determination
of those types which appeared first, the simultaneous origin of certain
species and their gradual decay, would perhaps teach us as much
about the mysteries of organisation as we can possibly learn through
experiments with living organisms." (Zittel op. cit. page 140.) This,
however, was rather the expression of a hope for the distant future than
an account of what was attainable, and in practice the science remained
almost purely descriptive, until Darwin gave it a new standpoint, new
problems and an altogether fresh interest and charm. The revolution
thus accomplished is comparable only to that produced by the Copernican
astronomy.

From the first it was obvious that one of the most searching tests
of the evolutionary theory would be given by the advance of
palaeontological discovery. However imperfect the geological record
might be, its ascertained facts would necessarily be consistent, under
any reasonable interpretation, with the demands of a true theory;
otherwise the theory would eventually be overwhelmed by the mass of
irreconcilable data. A very great stimulus was thus given to geological
investigation and to the exploration of new lands. In the last forty
years, the examination of North an