PALAEONTOLOGY. 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 

 Definition of Palaeontology. 



Palaeontology (Gr. fialaios, ancient ; onta, beings ; logos, discourse) 

 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 subse- 

 quently 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 up. 



As Zoology, then, treats of the animals now inhabiting the earth, 

 and as Botany treats of the now existing plants, Palaeontology may 

 be denned as the Zoology and Botany of the past, and may be 

 subdivided into the two subjects of Palaeozoology and Paleobotany. 

 The study of fossil animals and plants is, however, based upon the 

 knowledge of living animals and plants, and for this reason Palaeo- 

 zoology and Palaeobotany are inseparably connected with Neozoology 

 and Neobotany. The materials, again, which fall to be studied by 

 the palaeontologist, are drawn entirely from the proper province of 

 the geologist. Fossils are derived from rocks. It will therefore be 

 necessary to trespass to some extent upon the peculiar domain of 

 the geologist, and to obtain some knowledge of the origin, com- 



