EVOLUTION OF REPTILES. 9 
RELATIVE LENGTHS OF EPOCHS. 
TERTIARY. 1600 ft. 
CRETACEOUS, 2500 ft. 
JURASSIC, 5000 ft. 
TRIASSIC, 3000 ft. 
PERMIAN, 1500 ft. 
CARBONIFEROUS. 
12,000 ft. 
DEVONIAN. 4000 ft. 
SILURIAN, 
7000 ft. 
ORDOVICIAN, 
15,000 ft. 
CAMBRIAN, 
12,000 ft. 
ARCHAZAN OR 
PRE-CAMBRIAN, 
Extent unknown. 
PLATE II. This diagram gives a rough 
idea of the crust of the earth. The section 
named Pre-Cambrian is partly composed of 
the igneous fire-formed rocks. This is the 
base or bottom strata. Below this is white- 
hot liquid lava. 
The Cambrian is stratified rock. It was 
formed after the earth was cool enough for 
the gases in the air to condense and fall as 
water on the earth. This water formed the 
oceans. Stratified, or in other words Sedi- 
mentary Rocks, are made by Sand, Silt, Ooze, 
etc., falling to the bottoms of oceans, lakes, 
and rivers. In this Cambrian formation we 
find the first forms of organic life, such as 
the very lowest types of ocean creatures. 
There is no trace of vegetation, fish, reptile, 
bird, or animal life. 
As we enter the Ordovician, we find fossil 
remains of Marine Scorpions, Crabs, and other 
Crustaceans, but no fish or land life. 
Proceeding to the Silurian, we come across 
traces of higher forms of ocean life, such as 
the Silurian Fishes. As we emerge into the 
Devonian we discover fossil remains in 
abundance of the higher scaled fishes, with 
true backbones and hard skeletons. Still 
proceeding upward, we enter the great Car- 
boniferous Period. It was during this Epoch 
that the surface of the land was covered with 
a vast growth of rapidly-growing vegetation 
of fern-like and mossy nature. 
All vegetation grew with fungus-like 
rapidity, without any periods of rest, for 
there were no alternate hot and cold seasons 
then. The earth itself and the waters were 
warm and steaming; the air was charged 
with warm water vapour. 
This vegetation lived, died, formed thick 
layers, and to-day we dig it up as coal and 
burn it. It represents so much stored-up 
heat, energy, and sunshine. This is how the 
all-wise Creator provided for our needs. 
During the Carboniferous Period, the first 
land animals began to evolve in the shape of 
Amphibians, which developed later into true 
reptiles. 
As we pass upward through the other 
layers to the Earth’s surface, we find reptiles 
gradually evolving into warm - blooded 
animals, such as birds and mammals. 
The most recent life upon our world is 
Man, the Masterpiece. He is the latest pro- 
duction, and the highest. To-day he is very 
lowly in comparison to what he will be in ages 
to come. 
It must be clearly understood the various 
stratified rocks do not now lie evenly over one 
another all over the earth. They are more 
or less broken, tilted, cracked, and upheaved 
by the intrusion and pressure of molten rock 
from below, and the natural shrinkage due to 
the progressive cooling of the Earth’s crust. 
