New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-12-02
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
TIE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

XlIs AND LAST LEcTURE...BY PROF. AGAssiz
Rporisd fer The Tribune By I'm H. Burr Phon'grsYAer.
The Geosrsrhical Distribution Of Animsls-Apnnss all
limited ia their habitsonFishes on both shores Of the
Atlantic perfectly distuct-Speces more Identical nesr
tie poles bot the identity lost az tney aPpfeach ,he
Equator. Peculiarly Of the Didelpbidss OF New-ho-
land. Modification Of Types not caused oy climate
group Of Fishes peculiar to me naisn O.san D
Boundaries Of Animal Groups The Order Of Success
Of Types in Geological Times-Srata OF oiheient
ages contain different species The results OF observa
tons Of Biologists and Loologisis-Ihe Primary Rocks
Secondary Strata. Tertiary Beds An contain DiheI-
other in regular graduation entirely falssln view or this
fact deny al order Of OF me
class OF yeebraed found in the observation-disclosures
tons Of this The FIRST types the highest IN them
Reptiles hch first existed assume al chsrsc
ters....A true graduation IN the Nertebrated Animals
which il not found in the nvertebrsted Man the last
type intsnded-No farther progress 70 Do expected
LADIES AND GES1LEMES; Before proceeding TO
the consideration of the subject upon which | in
tend to speak this evening, | will limit myself to
very few remarks upon another subject, which
would gladly have Introduced before this time, if it
were not so extensive that could give no notion
Of il without entering into very minute details.
mean the subject Of the Geographical Distribution
Of animals. II is, perhaps, necessary to know
something Of it in order to understand fully the re-
of succession Of types and, as l have to intro
duce the subject Of the order OF succession Of
types into this Lecture 1 will merely mention
tine general results of the recent Investigations
upon the geographical distribution Of animals
without giving the facts upon which these re-
suits are founded | beg you to a cept them as
resting upon investigation accurate as any that
can be made in the department OF Natural History
Animals are all limited in their habtatlon 10
some particular spot on the surface of our globe
There are few If any species existing over the
whole extent either OF land or water These few
species belong TO genera ia which 1t is very dlfhcut
10 perceive specific differences, and 1t is still posi-
bic that those species which are thought 10 De so
widely dispersed, are nevertheless to be limited 10
some particular spot, when the minute differences
shown in their characters shall have been fully as
certained and established. Agein Some which ap,
pear to have been originally so widely dituscd
have been scattered over large areas under peculiar
circumstances which are not natural 10 the species
But leaving those few species ovt OF consideration
we can with correctness assert that all species
have a limited hsbtation. and that mankind only
are difused the whole extent OF the ssrface OF
the globe. There are varieties OF species In the
coolest climates Of the arctic regions as well as IN
der the burning sun of the tropical zone while there
is no animal type which is distributed IN similar
manner TO the type Of mankind, all over the earth
The ocean which is the most convenient mode OF
communication for Man. has not been an easy me
dium for tie HIiIinu's NOM V"o S"oro "
another What will perhaps astonisn some Oh ny
snd;ence ia nevertheless perfectly evident from re-
cent investigations fishes both shores OF the
Atlantic are perfectly distinct There is not one
species found in the Mediterranean which occurs on
these shores not one species occurring on '9e
shores of France is found south OF Cape Cod. 90
nor maintain that there is not one species IN 'he
northern shores of Europe identical with those oil
Cane Cod. The farther north we proceed, the more
species we find identical in both Continents from
causes which am now about to relate
There is q certain extent OF land In when All an,
imals in the different regions of Europe ASA ana
North America are found to agree. In h'ne' 10
g., oTcur louer south than in Europe, where we
nave at the 10th degree of north latitude the same
mean annual temperature of 80 degrees fsoren'
heit as in America in latitude so degrses-2o de-
grees farther south. -...,,
This is the northern portion of this continent