Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-08-06
From Silliman's American Journal

Change of climate; illumination of temperature on the surdce 0f the earh It is not only from analogy, observes Mir Lyell in his work on geology, that must infer diminution of oftemperature in the oll- mate of Europe; there proofs of this doctrine in the only countries hitherto studied by geologss, in which we might expect to find direct proofs. It is not in England, in the north of France, but on the borders of the Mediterranean, from the south of | Spain to Calabria, and in the islands of the same sea, that must look for conclusive demonstrations of this fact For it is not only in beds whose fossil shells like the shells ofvng species, that theo- " Of climate be subj jected to kind of enpcrt- mentum crucis. In Sicily at lschia and in Caabria, where fossil shells of the most recent beds belong almost entirely to kinds which known to be still inhabitants ofthe Mediterranean. The conchologst remarks that individuals deposited in the interior of the earth, surpass, in medium and size, their living types. It cannot however be doubted, notwith- standing such difference in dimensions that the | species are identical since the living individuals, sometimes, though rarely, attain to the size of the fossil; and the preservation of the latter is so per feet that they still retain their color, which furnishes another means of comparison.
 In leaving the sea and advancing into regions less disturbed by modern volcanos, there are found in the Sub-Appenine hills some species still living in the Mediterranean, mingled with multitudes Of oth- CT kinds now extinct and which present ndubitable indications of warmer climate. Several kinds are common to the Sub-Appenine hills, the Medlterra- nean and the Indian Ocean. The fossils correspond in size with their fellows within the tropics, while the individuals of the same species now in the Mediterranean, are small degenerated and stunted by the absence of those conditions which they still enjoy in the Indian seas
 | No observations of contrary nature have occur red to neutralize conclusions, neither are there found associated in these groups, individuals apper- aining to species confined within the arctic regions On the contrary when we can identify these fossil shells with living species foreign to the Medlterra' nean is not in the icy sea, but between the tropics that must look for them.
 MT Lye has carefully examined several hundred species of shells obtained in Sicily at the height oI one thousand feet, among which is great number of kinds still living in the Mediterranean; the diff ference of size being very striking Tn the greater number of these two classes
 Some interesting observations, formerly made by Peron and Lesueur, stated in the Annales du Mu scum, T. XV. p. 267, and which MT Lye has moi cited confirm his opinion that the greater size of n dvidual shells of the same species, is an indication of change of climate. These naturasts have re- marked that every species of marine animals has re- ceived distinct location confined to certain parts o the ocean, and that in those positions they are found to be larger, and more beautiful In proportion as they are removed from this locality, they degenerate and are at length extinct.
 The Haiiotes gigantea for example, which in Van Diemans land, attains the length of fifteen to twen ty centimeres, suffers in its dimensions at Maria Island, is still more degraded at the Island of De cres and Josephine, is only miserable abortion on the rocks of Nuytand, and is no longer visible al [ port King George. The same thing is observable in the Phasianeiius; their proper habitaton is al Maria island where vessels are loaded with them and after suffering insensible degradatons they are lost at port King George. Ii is interesting to wit ness the same phenomena exhibited in a horizontal direction on the present surface of the earth, appear ing again in vertical direction upon the different surfaces, which, at successive periods have limited the exterior con6guratons of the terrestrial gobe- Bio. Unip. Dec. 1S30