io8 "THE COMING OF MAN 



must judge entirely by what we have before us; all later 

 time is supposed to be in the future. The free-swimming 

 chordate form is already distanced and hopelessly beaten. 

 What possible chance has he? The crab is a fairly protected 

 moving animal whose jointed legs and eyes promise a higher 

 organization and successful future. 



The cuttlefishes have everything their own way. They 

 can swim swiftly, have sufficient protection, and abundance of 

 food and rapid reproduction. They possess all the natural 

 advantages in environment, are lords of the rich sea-bottom, 

 nine points of the law; and they have size and strength to 

 maintain possession, which should constitute the tenth. But 

 let us not fail to pay homage to our friend the clam, '' re- 

 clining semi-somnolent " in safety, peace and quiet joy. He 

 has already attained perfection. 



We are hard-headed, practical scientists, we know nothing 

 of the future. We judge by what we see, and by the teach- 

 ings of the past. Some form of mollusk must be the fittest, 

 there is hope for the crustacean, for the chordata defeat and 

 our pity. 



We revisit the earth millions of years later not far from 

 the close of Palaeozoic time. The land forming the eastern 

 portion of the United States oscillates not far from sea-level. 

 The great cephalopod mollusks still teem. They have 

 changed form slightly, but little in structure. Crustacea have 

 taken on a more modern appearance. Spiders and insects have 

 appeared on land. 



The marked change and progress has been in the descend- 

 ants of the insignificant chordata. Sharks have appeared 

 with fairly developed internal locomotive skeleton offering 

 attachment to heavy bands of muscles, with paired fins, stout 

 jaws armed with pointed teeth, with large sense organs and 

 no mean brain. 



There are ganoid fishes, like our garpikes and sturgeons, 

 superior to the sharks in some respects. They have an air- 

 bladder which can be, and often is, used as a lung. Some are 

 mail-clad, others unprotected. They are driving their weaker 



