PAL^ONTO LOGY. 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 



DEFINITION OF PALAEONTOLOGY. 



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

 course) 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 completed, it would furnish us 

 with an account of the structure, habits, and distribution of all 

 the animals and plants which have at any time flourished upon 

 the land-surfaces of the globe or inhabited its waters. From 

 causes, however, which will be subsequently discussed, the 

 palaeontological record is most imperfect, and our knowledge 

 is interrupted by gaps which not only bear a large proportion 

 to our solid information, 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. Regarding it from this, the only true point of 

 view, some knowledge of Zoology and Botany is essential to a 

 prosecution of the study of Palaeontology, and such details of 

 these sciences as may be deemed requisite will be introduced 

 in the proper place. The materials, again, which fall to be 

 studied by the palaeontologist, are derived entirely from the 

 proper province of the geologist. fossils are derived from 

 rocks. It will therefore be necessary to trespass to some ex- 

 A 



