CHARLES B. WARRING. 145 
There were many ‘‘epochs,’’ perhaps fifty, so many 
at least are named by Dana in his Manual of Geology 
(pp. 142, 143). I note a few which are of peculiar im- 
portance either in themselves, or in relation to this ac- 
count. 
In the earliest epoch, are found traces of marine 
plants only, and the lowest forms of animal life. Geo- 
logists call this the Archean Age. 
In another, the lower Silurian, many centuries later, 
sea-weeds and protozoa have added to them, radiates, 
mollusks, and articulates. 
In another, perhaps thousands of centuries afterwards, 
all these, plus some land plants, are found, but no fruit 
trees. This is the upper Silurean. 
In another, centuries later, more land plants, but no 
fruit trees, and in the waters, fishes. The Devonian 
Age. 
In yet another, there were the same types of animal 
and vegetable life, plus land animals, but still no trees 
whose fruit enclosed the seed ; there were land animals, 
but no mammals. The Carboniferous Age. 
In a yet later epoch, the Cretaceous, there is found 
added toa varied animal life, and to old types of plants, 
a flora which includes herbs yielding seed and trees 
bearing fruit-whose seed is inside of it, but not of present 
species. 
Later again, we come to an epoch, the Tertiary, that 
contains grasses, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees 
bearing fruit. Dr. Newberry, in his address before the 
Torrey botanical club, published in their Bulletin for 
July, 1880 (page 79,) says: ‘‘Our present flora is but 
a relic of that of the Tertiary. We have already col- 
lected from Tertiary strata in various parts of our 
country the remains of more species of fruit trees than 
are now growing on its surface.’’ The flora of the 
Pliocene—the last of the Tertiary—is largely yet living. 
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