xxvi PROOFS, ILLUSTRATIONS, AUTHORITIES, ETC. 



the vegetable kingdom " So far as our present information extends, 

 it is fully in harmony with the above doctrine ; the characteristic 

 Flora of the coal formation appearing to have been chiefly composed 

 of Coniferce, which constitute a connecting link between the Phane- 

 rogamia and Cryptogamia ; and of these coniferse, while some may 

 have been nearly allied to existing forms, the great majority 

 (Sigillarice, Lepidodendra, Catamites, etc.) appear to have presented 

 such a combination of the characters of the coniferse with those of 

 the higher cryptogamia, as no existing group exhibits." Gen. 

 Physioloyy, 1851. 



10. THE COMPARATIVELY LARGE BULK OF SOME OF THE 

 EARLY FOSSILS IS TO BE REGARDED AS A MARK 

 OF THEIR INFERIORITY IN THE SCALE. 



In a paper on " The Natural Relations between Animals and the 

 Elements in which they live," (Sillimans Amer. Jour., May, 1850,) 

 Professor Agassiz first proves that, in any particular order, the marine 

 families are lowest in the scale, the fluviatile (if any) next, while the 

 land families rank highest. He shows also that there is a diminishing 

 gradation of bulk from the marine to the fluviatile and land genera. 

 He therefore speaks of our so frequently finding, throughout the 

 animal kingdom, " that the lower condition of structure and develop- 

 ment is manifested in a more bulky body."* From all this it follows 

 that, in any order of animals, as the cephalopodous mollusks or the 

 cartilaginous fishes, which has been represented from the protozoic 

 to the present age, the early and humbly developed families should 

 be of comparatively large size. 



Among the early cephalopoda there are some very large ; one in 

 the Black River limestone of New York State, which cannot have 

 been less than ten feet long. Many of the early cartilaginous fishes 

 are also large. 



The asterolepis, an early ganoid, on which Mr. Hugh Miller has 

 written a volume to prove its being a fish, of high organization, was 

 as bulky, according to this author, as a large porpoise. ' Thus," he 

 says, " in the not unimportant circumstance of size, the most ancient 

 ganoids yet known, instead of taking their places, agreeably to the 

 demands of the development hypothesis, among the sprats, stickle- 

 backs, and minnows of their class, took their place among its huge 

 basking sharks, gigantic sturgeons, and bulky sword-fishes. They 

 were giants, not dwarfs." 



* " Is there any proof that the largest Pachyderms are of the lowest or- 

 ganization ? [That they were so is asserted in Explanations: a Sequel to the Ves- 

 tiges, &c.] I believe there is not the shadow of any proof for this assertion." 

 Professor Sedgwick: Preface to the oth ed. of Discourse on the Studies at Cam' 

 bridge. Sedgivick against Agassiz ! 



