and the spots on the sun, both purely atmospheric phenomena, whereas the
lines on Mars are on the solid surface of the planet. Why should there
be any resemblance between them? Every fact stated in the above
quotation, always keeping in mind the physical conditions of the
planet--its very tenuous atmosphere and rainless desert-surface--seem
wholly in favour of a purely natural as opposed to an artificial origin;
and at the close of this discussion I shall suggest one which seems to
me to be at least possible, and to explain the whole series of the
phenomena set forth and largely discovered by Mr. Lowell, in a simpler
and more probable manner than does his tremendous assumption of their
being works of art. Readers who may not possess Mr. Lowell's volume will
find three of his most recent maps of the 'canals' reproduced in
_Nature_ of October 11th, 1906.



CHAPTER IV.


IS ANIMAL LIFE POSSIBLE ON MARS?

Having now shown, that, even admitting the accuracy of all Mr. Lowell's
observations, and provisionally accepting all his chief conclusions as
to the climate, the nature of the snow-caps, the vegetation, and the
animal life of Mars, yet his interpretation of the lines on its surface
as being veritably 'canals,' constructed by intelligent beings for the
special purpose of carrying water to the more arid regions, is wholly
erroneous and rationally inconceivable. I now proceed to discuss his
more fundamental position as to the actual habitability of Mars by a
highly organised and intellectual race of material organic beings.