to persist in the progeny of the races, and what a changed view of 

 earth's farina, is presented in the survey of the hidden treasures 

 of these tar beds. The light thus far shed is pleasing and intensely 

 interesting, yet as the more intense the light the deeper the darkness, 

 so here the night of unsolved mysteries is only deepened. Whence, 

 why and how these diverse forms, this enormous size, these varied 

 degrees of activity, these original types, how these peculiar instin-cts, 

 this rise of intelligence, this differentiation, the nicety of adaptation, 

 the dwarfing and decay. What movements of earth, what changes 

 of environment, what great catastrophe or relentless hand haj caused 

 this apparent extinction so sudden and complete. 



I-Cvolutionary changes of Proboscidia 

 Smithsonian Institution Report. 1908. 



The student of geology sees in his mind a picture vastly different 

 from the recent conditions and living fauna as he looks upon the 

 strange forms of sloth, camel, ox, elephant, lion, tiger, etc. Nothing 

 but a semi-tropical clime could have supported these gigantic animals, 

 and their presence carries the mind across the water to Africa and 

 India for duplicate life. Here the mastodon roamed from place to 

 place, the American ox grazed on the plains, the giant sloth reached 

 into the trees for the tender leaves and twigs, the stalking camels 

 wended their way to the scanty watering places, the horse with its 

 colt wandered peacefully among them. The hungry wolf, the giant 

 tiger and the king of beasts, with their howl and snarl and roar 



50 



