NEW publicatio:ns: 249 



sBingle now in the same medium, both are products of the present. 

 He who assumes that the early inhabitants of the seas were unfit- 

 ted for the present, assumes what he can by no means prove. It 

 is merely a bold assumption. We say again, what we have said 

 on former occasions, that, because certain animals do not consume, 

 apparently, as much of some of the elements as others, it does 

 not follow that, if the atmosphere or water contained less, they could 

 exist in one or the other ; it is certainly an inquiry of great con- 

 sequence. In the Vestiges of Creation we find no less than five 

 important assumptions which are erroneous. 1. That carbon and 

 organized beings appeared simultaneously. 2. That limestone was 

 first laid down -in the lower part of the Silurian system. 3. That 

 the condition of the atmosphere, anterior to the coal era, was 

 loaded with carbonic acid. 4 and 5. That land animals and dry 

 land appeared only subsequently to the coal. Contrary to the 

 above assumptions, we have found vestiges of land plants, at least 

 as early as the Oriskany sandstone. And besides, though we have 

 high authority against us, we believe that in no period in the earth's 

 history has dry land been wanting. In fact, we are inclined to 

 adopt the opinion that the seas of the earlier sedimentary matters 

 iwere deeper than the present ; for how, on other grounds, can we 

 (account for the great thickness of the slates and subordinate rocks 

 of the Cambrian or Taconic system 1 



This book contains a few facts practically important to the far- 

 mer. They are such as prove that the perfection of all animals, 

 is dependent upon proper conditions — upon a sufficiency of light, 

 lair, nourishment and temperature. The lower animals do not pass 

 through their proper metamorphosis if deprived of light. The 

 tadpole, for instance, does not become a frog, if submersed too 

 ideep in watei : the absence of light and a lower temperature, both 

 pombine to prevent the natural development- The human fam- 

 ily, in fact, when occupying unwholesome places and are poorly fed, 

 produce a larger proportion of monsters, or of imperfectly devel- 

 )ped offspring, than when surrounded by comforts, and living in a 

 :)ure atmosphere. Domestic animals, in their turn, must suffer 

 rom similar causes. Fine horses become blind and are often lost 

 )y being kept in badly lighted stables. Economy and humanity, 

 hen, require the farmer to guard his animals against disease and 

 mperfection by suitable provisions for their comfort, sustenance, 



VOL. I. — NO. II. E 



