THE PATH OF EVOLUTION 



usual occasional divergences therefrom, that gave rise 

 to varieties and species among the Simian as among 

 other families, their relative, the immediate ancestor 

 of Man, experienced a change not only in the degree 

 but in the kind of Evolution. When this time was 

 it is, of course, impossible to say, but it is known 

 to be within, if not before, the last glacial period. 

 It is believed by many that man existed as man cer- 

 tainly as early as the pliocene period of the Tertiary. 

 This period was thousands of centuries ago a short 

 time only in the infinitude of the past, but almost a 

 past infinity compared to our own short, individual 

 lives. 



Haeckel considers man descended from one species, 

 the catarrhine or thin-nosed apes, and believes Southern 

 Asia was its native home. He thinks it not improb- 

 able that a continent then existed embracing Mada- 

 gascar, the Sunda Isles, and approaching or joining 

 the south of Asia and the southeastern shores of 

 Africa. This possible continent, which he thought 

 was man's probable birthplace, if it ever existed, is 

 now sunk beneath the waters of the Indian Ocean. 

 Here, he thought, might have been found fossilized 

 the " Missing Link," the transition step between the 

 highest ape and the lowest form of savage man. 

 Geologically, this might be possible, for the age re- 

 ferred to, the Tertiary, was the time of the elevation 



