Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-19
PATAGONIA GEOLOGY.
signs OF n Former southern rcu'inrsG
Popular Science Monthly.l

Popular Science Monthly.l
Scnor r. =. Moreno has commune
Gated to the Argentine Scientific Society
the results Of geological explorations
which he has made in Patagonia. begin
ming in 1876. In the ascent of the
Santa Cruz, at five degrees above where
Darwin bad given up further explora-
ton of that river. he came upon a
country roughly cut up by canyons,
and presenting most of the pecu-
liar features of our - Bad Lands" q"
About half way between the mouth Of
this river and the Andes he discovered
a region forming the base Of high
terrace, surmounted by high peaks that
gave it the aspect Of halfruined
Gothic cathedral, exceedingly rich in
tertiary mammalia. In the upper part
Of this formation, which was about 80
metres high and $50 metres broad,
were discovered beneath the superficial
layers Of glacial detritus several alter
mating lacustrine and marine beds indi-
eating successive immerslonS and emer-
sions. In them the three divisions OF
the tertiary period were represented by
very distinct mammalian fossils. corre-
spending with ancient forms of mar
supials, pachydermS. edentatcs. rodents,
and carniyores. Perhaps one of the
most curious features of these fossils
was the rumber Of transitional forms
among them: an animal combining fca-
tures of the marsupials. the land car
niyores, and the pinnipedS. in such a
way THAT. If the remains did not
exist and We should describe an animal
possessing all their characteristics. We
should be thought TO be imagining some
fabulous monster :" animals of an or
der intermediate between the ungulates
and the rodents; and a molsr. which
can be attributed only to gigantic ca
bal or dwarf elephant" Thi, fauna
is more ancient than the Argentine
mammalian fauna. and Is probably quite
as comprehensive. The discoveries have
thrown new light on the geological
history Of South America 4; for Patago-
MIA was formerly regarded as of marine
origin. but they prove much of IT TO
have been terrestrial and lacuStrine.
They also lend some weight to the opin-
ION expressed by Scnor Moreno. that at
the beginning of the tertiary period. a
vast continent. of which Patagonia was
a part. extended cast and west. The
rich fauna and the luXuriant vegetation.
evidences of which are also found,
could not have come down from
regions nearer the equator aS
has been Supposcc-that Is, from
more favorable to less favorable con IL
tons. but must have originated in this
region. and pushed up toward the tropic
under The influence of the growing cold
that came upon the country. The south
cm part of the continent still show
signs OF oscillation. An elevation OF
l5O meters would consolidate the land
with Terra del Fnego and the Falkland
islands into continent a. wide as Al
RIGA at the Orange river. An elevation
Of less than 1000 meters would unite
this land with south Georgia.
South Sandwich Land. and the Ant
arctic continent. The chain Of the
Andes has not the same continuity in
these regions as in the north of the con-
tincnt. The labyrinth Of islands and
channels constituting the Straits Of Ma
gcllan and Ic Marie is only a rontiDua-
ton ot the isolated moraineS and
canyons. uow dry. which 50 singularly
break up the ground of Patagonia. The
presence of marsupials and the seventy
seven common species of plants like
wire point to the possibility of former
nearer relation to Australia and New
Zealand than now exists.