92 



Evolution 



for years in growing. Many a hospital records cases of 

 human tail-cutting. Finally, there is the well-known 

 11 vermiform appendage," a little closed tube leading off 

 the bowel where the small intestine passes into the large. 

 Everybody knows how hard substances may force their 

 way into this tube, and set up the dangerous inflamma- 

 tion called " appendicitis." The appendix is an un- 

 pleasant reminiscence of an early ancestor that we could 



Giant Salamander of the Coal Forest 



(A rchegosaurus) 



well dispense with. In some early vegetarian ancestor 

 this was a useful addition to the alimentary canal, giving 

 extra storage room for the coarse and slowly digested 

 diet. With improvement in diet it has become super- 

 fluous, and has shrunken into this worm-like appendage. 

 These two lines of evidence will quite prepare the 

 reader for considering the evolution of man, but we will 

 add a third. The blood consists of a watery fluid in 



