Relation of Inorganic to Organic Bodies 49 



But it must be acknowledged — even demanded — in such an 

 inquiry that immense gaps are to be expected in our accepted 

 record of evolving continuity. If we grant for present pur- 

 poses — and no one probably will deny it — that insensibly 

 graded and advancing types once connected the Algae with 

 the Characese, and equally with the Bryophyta or moss alli- 

 ance; also that some higher type of alga, or possibly primitive 

 type of bryophyte, united these with primitive members of 

 the Pteridophyta or fern alliance, it will at once be evident 

 that whole families, of connecting organization, have been 

 entirely swept out of existence, or have been preserved to us 

 very rarely in fossil form, owing to a fortunate combination 

 of circumstances. 



If such be true for these higher and often resisting groups, 

 it must be immensely more so for primitive organizing bodies, 

 and for all the earlier evolving plants and animals that were 

 composed wholly or largely of soft perishable tissues. These, 

 moreover, from their first organization up to the present day 

 have been exposed to the tremendous and often widespread 

 destructive environal changes that have blotted out whole 

 cohorts of comparatively recent plants and animals. If, there- 

 fore, the continuity relation be often faintly and imperfectly 

 traceable, such is entirely appropriate to the nature of the 

 case. 



In the previous chapter it was shown that a stage was reached 

 in the world's history when environal conditions were suited 

 to the formation and continued evolution of organisms. The 

 specific stimulating environal areas we considered to be geyser 

 basins, hot springs, warm shallow fresh water lagoons, and 

 brackish marshes. The — on first thought — somewhat attract- 

 ive view has often been expressed that still ocean depths were 

 the favora})le regions. But slight reflection will persuade 

 every one that it was not there, where stagnation, dreary 

 uniformity of inorganic compounds, want of varied and inter- 

 changing energies, as well as absence of light, prevailed. 

 Rather in those areas above stated, where exactly opposite 

 conditions were typical, the combination of circumstances 



