PALEONTOLOGY. 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 



DEFINITION OF PALAEONTOLOGY. 



PALAEONTOLOGY (Gr. palaios, ancient ; onta, beings ; logos, 

 discourse) is the science which treats of the living beings, 

 whether animal or vegetable, which have inhabited this 

 globe at past periods in its history. It is the ancient life- 

 history of the earth, and if its record could ever be com- 

 pleted, it would furnish us with an account of the structure, 

 habits, and distribution of all the animals and plants which 

 have at any time nourished upon the land-surfaces of the 

 globe or inhabited its waters. From causes, however, which 

 will be subsequently discussed, the palseontological record is 

 most imperfect, and our knowledge is interrupted by gaps 

 which not only bear a large proportion to our solid informa- 

 tion, but which in many cases are of such a nature that we 

 can never hope to have them filled. 



As Zoology, then, treats of the animals now inhabiting 

 the earth, and as Botany treats of the now existing plants, 

 Palaeontology may be considered as the Zoology and Botany 

 of the past. Ptegarding it from this, the only true point of 

 view, some knowledge of Zoology and Botany is essential to 



VOL. I. A 



