THE PRE-ADAMITE EAETH. 



Changes of the continents. 292. Character of the fauna. 293. 

 Absence of land animals uniformity of climate. 294. Geological 

 convulsions. RETROSPECT AND RECAPITULATION OF THE PALAEOZOIC 

 AGE : 295. Commencement of animalisation. 296. Prevailing forms. 

 297. Trilobites. 298. Characteristics of the carboniferous stage. 

 299. Carbonised vegetables. 300. Fossil vegetable species. 301. 

 Their prevailing characters. 302. Contrasted with the present vege- 

 table kingdom in the same localities. 303. Radiata of the carbon- 

 iferous period. 304. Crustacea and insects. 305. Fossil scorpions. 

 306. Fishes of the carboniferous period. 307. Fossil fishes dis- 

 covered by M. Agassiz. Triassic Age. 308. Triassic formation 

 lies over the Palaeozoic. 309. Geographical configuration Map of 

 France in Triassic age. 310. Vegetation. FIRST TRIASSIC PERIOD: 



311. Outlines of land and water character of animal kingdom. 



312. Chelonian reptiles (tortoises). 313. Foot-tracks of birds. 

 314. Synopsis of animal kingdom. SECOND TRIASSIC PERIOD : 315. 

 Mineral character of this stage animal genera created and revived. 

 316. Outlines of land and water animal kingdom. 317. Generic 

 synopsis. 



283. THE convulsions which produced M. Elie de Beaumont's 

 system of the Ballons, pushed up certain parts of the Devonian 

 stage, modifying the outlines of land and water, and augmenting 

 the extent of the land. The map (fig. 144) represents approxi- 

 matively the seas and lakes of this period as they existed in 

 Western Europe. 



284. Arborescent ferns, with their beautiful lace-like foliage; 

 slender Lepidodendrons, fig. 145 ; Lycopodiaceao (club-mosses), 

 with leaves as varied and beautiful as the ferns ; and gigantic 

 Sigillaria, emulating the magnitude of the Conifers, abounded. 



Assuredly no scenery upon the 'earth at present can convey an 

 adequate idea of vegetation so luxuriant. Some of the moun- 

 tainous regions of the torrid zone may convey a faint notion of it ; 

 but at the period to which we now refer, this magnificent flora 

 covered the whole surface of the land from the tropics to Melville 

 Island, now the regions of eternal frost. 



285. By a dispensation of Providence, which cannot fail to 

 excite sentiments of admiration and gratitude, this luxuriant 

 vegetation of a remote epoch of the earth, flourishing countless 

 ages before the creation of the human race, was destined to 

 become for that race one of the most powerful agents of industry 

 and civilisation. Buried in the earth by a long series of geo- 

 logical convulsions, it was submitted to the process of carbonisation, 

 and converted into those vast beds of mineral combustible which 

 now supply the materials out of which art and science have 

 educed not only the means of artificial light and heat, but also a 

 mechanical agent whose influence upon the condition of mankind 

 is incalculable. To these precious deposits of the carboniferous 



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