FOREST AND STREAM. 



b 



INTRODUCTION AND SUCCESSION OF 

 VERTEBRATE LIFE IN AMERICA.* 



Br 0. 0. Marsh. 



(If PRESIDENT OF TUK r.IOJ.OUTCAL SECTION OF THE AMERICAN 



ASS00IATIOX, 



THE origin of life, and the order of succession in which its 

 various forms have appeared upon the earth, offer to 

 science its most inviiing and most difficult field of research. 

 Although the primal origin of life is unknown, and may per- 

 haps never he known, yet no one has a right to say how much 

 6f Hie mystery now surrounding it science cannot remove. 

 It is certainly within the domain of science to determine when 

 the earth was first fitted to receive life, and in what form the 

 earliest life began. To trace that life in its manifold changes 

 through past ages to the present, is a more difficult task, but 

 one frotn which modern science does not shrink. In this wide 

 field, every earnest effort will meet some degree of success; 

 every year will add new and important facts ; and every gen- 

 eration will bring to light some law, in accordance with 

 which ancient life has been changed into life as we see it 

 around us to-day. That such development has taken place, 

 no one will doubt who has carefully traced any single group 

 ol animals through its past history, as recorded in the crust of 

 thy earth. The evidence will be especially conclusive, if the 

 group selected belongs to the higher forms of life, which are 

 sensitive to every change in their surroundings. But I am sure 

 I need offer here no argument for evolution ; since to doubt 

 evolution to-day is to doubt science, and science is only another 

 name for truth. 



Taking, then, evolution as a key to the mysteries of past life 

 on the earth, I invite your attention to the subject I have 

 chosen : "The Introduction and Succession of Vertebrate Life 

 in America." 



In the brief hour allotted to me, I could hardly hope to give 

 more than a very incomplete sketch of what is now known on 

 this subject. I shall, therefore, pass rapidly over the lower 

 groups, and speak more particularly of the higher vertebrate, 

 which have an especial interest to us all, in so far as they ap- 

 proach man in structure, and thus indicate his probable or- 

 igin. These higher vertebrate, moreover, are most important 

 witnesses of the past, since their superior organization made 

 them ready victims to slight climatic changes, which would 

 otherwise have remained unrecorded. 



In considering the ancient life of America, it is important to 

 bear in mind that I can only offer you a brief record of a few 

 of the countless forms that once occupied this continent. The 

 review I can bring before you will be like that of a great army 

 when regiment after regiment with full ranks moves by in 

 orderly succession, until the entire host has passed. My re- 

 view must be more like the roll-call after a battle, when only 

 a few scarred and crippled veterans remain to answer to then- 

 names, Or rather, it must resemble an array of relics, dug 

 from the field of some old Trojan combat, long after the con- 

 test, when no survivor remains to tell the tale of the strife. 

 Prom such an ancient battle-field, a Schliemann might unearth 

 together the bronze shield, lance-head, and gilded helmet of a 

 prehistoric leader, and learn from them with certainty his race 

 and rank. Perhaps the skull might still retain the barbaric 

 stone weapon by which his northern foe had slain him. Near 

 by, the explorer might bring to light the commingled coat of 

 mail and trappings of ahorse and rider, so strangely different 

 from the equipment of the chief, as to suggest a foreign 

 alty. Prom these, and from the more common implements 

 of war that fill the soil, the antiquary could determine, by 

 patient study, what nations fought, and, perhaps, when, and 

 why. 



By this same method of research, the more ancient strata 

 of the earth have been explored, and, in our "Western wilds, 

 veritable battle-fields, strewn with the fossil skeletons of the 

 slain, and guarded faithfully by savage superstition, have 

 been despoiled, yielding to science treasures more rare than 

 bronze or gold. Without such spoils, from many fields, I 

 could not have chosen the present theme for my address to- 

 night. 



According to present knowledge, no vertebrate life is known 

 to have existed on this continent in the Archaean, Cambrian, or 

 Silurian periods ; yet during this time, more than half of the 

 thickness of American stratified rocks was deposited. It by 

 no means follows that vertebrate animals of some kind did not 

 exist here in those remote ages. Fishes are known from the 

 Upper Silurian of Europe, and there is every probability that 

 they will yet be discovered in our strata of the same age, if not 

 at a still lower horizon. 



Jii the shore deposits of the early Devonian sea, known as 

 the Schoharie Grit, characteristic remains of fishes were pre- 

 served, and in the deeper sea that followed, in which the 

 Coniferous limestone was laid down, this class was well rep- 

 resented. During the remainder of the Devonian, fishes 

 continue abundant in the shallower seas, and, so far as now 

 known, were the only type of vertebrate life. These fishes 

 were mainly Ganoids, a group, represented in our present 

 waters by the gar-pike (Lepidosteus) and sturgeon (Acipenser), 

 but in the Devonian sea, chiefly by the Placoderms, the exact 

 affinities of which are somewhat in doubt. With these were 

 Elasmobranchs, or the Shark tribe, and among them a few 

 Chitmcroids, a peculiar type, of which one or two members 

 still survive. The Placoderms were themonarchs of the ocean. 

 All were well protected by a massive coat of armor, and some 

 of them attained huge dimensions. The American Devonian 

 fishes now known are not. as numerous as those of Europe, but 



* Delivered before the American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science, at NasUviUe, Tenn., Ang 31, 1ST7. 



they were larger in size, and mostly inhabitants of the open 

 sea. Some twenty genera and forty species have been de- 

 scribed. 



The more important genera of Placoderms are, Binicthys, 

 A gpidicthys and Diplognatliu*, our largest Palaeozoic fishes. 

 Others are, Acanthasph, Acanthotepis, Coccosteus, Maeropela- 

 lichlhysaad Onychodus. Among the Elasmobranchs, were Chi- 

 dodus, Ctenamnthus, Mackwramnthus, Rhynchodus and Ptyc- 

 todus, the last two being regarded as Chimeroids. In the Che- 

 mung epoch, the great Dipterian family was introduced with 

 Diptcrm, Heliodm, and possibly Ceratadus. Species of the 

 European genera, Bothriolepis and Lfoloptychius, have likewise 

 been found in our Devonian deposits. 



With the close of the Devonian, came the almost total ex- 

 tinction of the great group of Placoderms, while the Elasmo- 

 branchs, which had hitherto occupied a subordinate position, 

 increase in numbers and size, and appeal' to be represented 

 by Sharks, Rays and Chimeras. Among the members of this 

 group from the Carboniferous, were numerous Cestracionts, 

 species of CocfiGodw of large size, with others of the genera 

 Deltodus, Helodm, Psammodus and Sandoladus. Of the F-etal- 

 odonts, there were Antliodus, C'homatodus, Ctciyrpiychvus, Pet- 

 ahdus and L'ctaforhynckvH; and of the Hybodoms, the genera 

 Vladodus, Cai-charopm and LHplodus. These Elasmobranchs 

 were the rulers of the Carboniferous open sea, and more than 

 one hundred species have been found in the lower part of this 

 formation alone. The Ganoids, although stall abundant, were 

 of smaller size, and denizens of the more shallow and confined 

 waters. The latter group of fishes was represented by true 

 Lepidostidse, of the genera Palmoniseus, Amblypterus, Platy- 

 WWJ and L'urylepis. Other genera are, lihisodus, Megalic- 

 t/iys, Oteiifidus, Edestus, Orodus, Ctenacanthus, Gyracan- 

 tlrns, and Calacanthus. Most of these genera occur also in 

 Europe. 



From the Permian rocks of America, no vertebrate remains 

 are known, although in the same formation of Europe Ganoids 

 arc abundant; and with them are remains of sharks, and some 

 other fishes, the affinities of which are doubtful, 'lhe Paleo- 

 zoic fishes at present known from this country are quite as 

 numerous as those found iu Europe. 



Iu the Mesozoic age, the fishes of America begin to show a 

 decided approach to those of our present waters. From the 

 Triassic. rocks, Ganoids only arc known, and they are all more 

 er less closely related to the modern gar-pike, or Lepidosteus. 

 They are of small size, and the number of individuals preserv- 

 ed is very large. The characteristic genera are, Catopterm, 

 Jwhyptc-rm; Plychokpis, Ehabdolepis and Turscodw. From 

 the Jurassic deposits, no remains of fishes are known, but in 

 the Cretaceous, icthyic life assumed many and various forms ; 

 and the first representatives of the Teleosts, or bony fishes, 

 the characteristic fishes of to-day, make their appearance. In 

 the deep open sea of this age, Elasmobranchs were the pre- 

 vailing forms, Sharks and Cinnueroids being most numerous. 

 Iu the great inland Cretaceous sea of North America, true os- 

 seous fishes were most abundant, and among them were some 

 of carnivorous habits, and immense size. The more sheltered 

 bays and rivers were shared by the Ganoids and Teleosts, as 

 their remains testify. The more common genera of Cre- 

 taceous Elasmobranchs were, Otodus, (hsyrhina, Oaleocerdo, 

 Lam no and Ptychodus. Among the osseous fishes, Beryx, 

 Enchodus, Portfieus, and Saurocephalus were especially com- 

 mon, while the most important genus of Ganoids was Lepi- 

 doius. 



The Tertiary fishes are nearly all of modern types, and from 

 the beginning of this period there was comparatively little 

 change. In the marine beds, sharks, rays and Chimieroids 

 maintained their supremacy, although Teleosts were abundant, 

 and many of them of large size. The Ganoids were compara- 

 tively few in number. In the earliest Eocene fresh-water de- 

 posits, it is interesting to find that the modern gar-pike, and 

 Amia, the dog-fish of our Western lakes, which by their struc- 

 ture are seen to be remnants of a very early type, are well 

 represented by species so closely allied to thcm'tliat only an 

 anatomist could seperate the ancient from the modern. In 

 the succeeding beds, these fishes are still abundant, and with 

 them are Siluroids nearly related to the modern cat-fish (L'ime- 

 lodiis). Many small fishes, allied apparently to the modern 

 herring (Glupea), left their remains in great numbers in the 

 same deposits, and, with them has been recently found a land- 

 locked ray (JIdiobatig). 



The almost total absence of remains of fishes from the Mio- 

 cene lake-basins of the West is a remarkable fact, and perhaps 

 may be best explained by the theory that these inland waters, 

 like many of the smaller lakes in the same region to-day, were 

 so impregnated with mineral matters as to render the existence 

 of vertebrate life in them impossible. No one who has tasted 

 such waters, or has attempted to ford one of the modern alka- 

 line lakes which are often met with on the present surface of 

 the same deposits, will doubt the efficiency of this cause, of 

 the easy entombment of the higher vertebrates that ventured 

 within their borders. In the Pliocene lake-basins of the same 

 region, remains of fishes were not uncommon, and in some of 

 them are very numerous.. These are all of modern types, 

 and most of them are Cyprinoids, related to the modern 

 carp. The Post-pliocene fishes are essentially those of to- 

 day. 



in this brief synopsis of the past icthyic life of this Conti- 

 nent, I have mentioned only a few of the more important facts, 

 but sufficient, I trust, to give an outline of its history. Of this 

 history, it is evident that we have as yet only a very imperfect 

 record. We have seen that the earliest remains of fishes 

 known in this country, are from the lower Devonian; but these 

 old fishes show so great a diversity of form and structure, as 

 to clearly indicate for the class a much earlier origin. In this 

 connection, we must bear in mind that the two lowest groups 

 of existing fishes are entirely without osseous skeletons, and 

 hence, however abundant, would leave no permanent record in 

 the deposits in which remains of fishes are usually preserved. 

 It is safe to infer, from the knowledge which we now possess 

 of the simpler forms of life, that even more of the early fishes 

 were cartUaginous, or so destitute of hard parts as to leave no 

 enduring traces of their existence. Without positive knowledge 

 of such forms, and considering the great diversity of those we 

 have, it would seem a hopeless task at present to attempt to 

 trace successfully the genealogy of this class. One line, how- 

 ever, appears to be direct, from our modern Gar-pike, through 

 the lower Eocene Lepidostem to the Lepidotus of the Creta- 

 ceous, and perhaps on through the Triassic Jschypterus and 

 Carboniferous Palaojdscm ; but beyond this, in o\u- rocks, it 

 is lost. The living Chimasra of our Pacific coast has nearly 

 allied forms in the Tertiary and Cretaceous, more distant rela- 

 tives in the Carboniferous, and a possible ancestor iu the De- 

 vonian Pynehodus. Our Sharks likewise can be traced with 

 some certainty back to the Palaeozoic ; and even the Lepido- 

 siren, of South America, although its immediate predecessors 

 are unknown, has some peculiar characters which strongly 

 point to a Devonian ancestry. These suggestive lines indicate 



a rich field for investigation in the ancient life-history of 

 American Ashes. 



The Amphibians, the next higher class of vertebrates, are 

 so closely related to the fishes in structure, that some peculiar 

 forms of the latter have been considered by anatomists as be- 

 longing to this group. The earliest evidence of Amphibian 

 existence, on this continent, is in the Sub-Carboniferous, 

 where foot-prints have been found which were probably made 

 by Labyrinthodonts, the most ancient representatives of the 

 class. Well preserved remains are abundant in the Coal 

 Measures, and show that the Labyrinthodonts differed in im- 

 portant particulars from all modern Amphibians, the group 

 which includes our frogs and salamanders. Some of these 

 ancient animals resembled a salamander in shape, while others 

 were serpent-like in form. None of those yet discovered were 

 frog-like or without a tail, although the restored Labyrintho- 

 dont of the text-books is thus represented. All were protected 

 by large pectoral bony plates, and an armor of small scutes on' 

 the ventral surface of the body. The walls of their teeth were 

 more or less folded, whence the name Labyrinthodont. The 

 American Amphibians known from osseous remains are all of 

 moderate size, but the foot-prints attributed to this group indi- 

 cate animals larger than any of the class yet found in the old 

 world. The Carboniferous Amphibians were abundant in the 

 swampy tropical forests of that period, and their remains have 

 been found imbedded in the coal tfien deposited, as well as in 

 hollow stumps of the trees left standing. 



The principal genera of this group from American Carbon- 

 iferous rocks, are, Saniropus, known only from footprints, 

 Baplietes, Bendrerpeton, Hylonmmis, Hykvpeton, BWilitt ps, 

 Pelion, Leptophr actus, Molgopkis, Ptyonius, AmpMbcmim, 

 Oocytinus and Oeraterpeton. The last genus occurs also in 

 Europe. Certain of these genera have been considered by 

 some writers to be more nearly related to the lizards (Lacer- 

 tilia), among true reptiles. Some other genera known from 

 fragmentary remains or foot-prints in this formation have like- 

 wise been referred to the true reptiles, but this question can, 

 perhaps, be settled only by future discoveries. 



No Amphibia are known from American Permian strata, 

 but in the Triassic a few characteristic remains have been 

 found. The three genera, lUctyoeephalus, Dispelor and PmHos- 

 tegm, have been described; but, although apparently all 

 Labyrinthodonts, the remains preserved are not sufficcnt to 

 add much to our knowledge of the group. The Triassic foot- 

 prints which have been attributed to Amphibians art still 

 more unsatisfactory, and at present no important conclusions 

 in regard to this class can be based upon them. From the 

 Jurassic and Cretaceous beds of this continent, no remains of 

 Amp'aibians are known. A few only have been found in the 

 Tertiary, and these are all of modern types. 



The Amphibia are so nearly allied to the Ganoid fishes, that 

 we can hardly doubt their descent from some member of that 

 group. With our present limited knowledge of the extinct 

 forms, however, it would be unprofitable to attempt to trace 

 in detail their probable genealogy. 



The authors to whom especial credit is due for our knowl- 

 edge of American fossil Fishes and Amphibians, are Newberry, 

 Leidy, Cope, Dawson, Agassiz, St. John, Gibbes, Wyman, 

 Redfield and Emmons, and the principal literature of the sub- 

 ject will be found in their publications. 

 (To be continued.') 



American Birds in England.— Apropos of the recent in- 

 troduction of the European migratory quail into the United 

 States (recently described in this journal) the London Meld, 

 in an editorial, says : ... -v> ,- - ♦ : £0 



For several years past, the desirability of adding to our 

 list of game birds from those of America is a subject that has 

 been frequently mooted in England, but none of our numer- 

 ous game preservers, as far as we are aware, seem to have 

 been enterprising enough to undertake the task. While we talk 

 our transatlantic cousins act, and set us an example, in an 

 experiment which, considering the number of our wealthy 

 sportsmen and naturalists, one would have expected, would 

 have been initiated with us. Among others such a grand game 

 bird as the American ruffed grouse could, we feel satisfied, be 

 established here, while the Virginian quad, a non-migatory 

 bird, much resemblig the members of the little colony of 

 strangers recently transported to the fields of Verment, but 

 larger, would we have no doubt rapidly multiply on our stub- 

 bles, and as they lie well to dogs, it being characteristic of the 

 species to do so, they would be a grand acquisition when 

 partridge becomes too wild to remain in the same field where 

 dogs areranging. 



Another Horse Story. — I have lately seen an old horse at 

 Bourn, in Lincolnshire, on the history of which I can 

 thoroughly rely, and it is so remarkable that I think it worth 

 publication. I have seen the horse myself, and as far as pei^ 

 sonal observation goes, I can thoroughly endorse the story, 

 The horse is aged twenty-two, of the old short-legged coach- 

 ing stamp, and has been in the poseession of the present 

 owner upward of sixteen years, during which period he has 

 only had three days' rest, not excluding even Sundays. His 

 work has been to run a heavy mail-cart from Bourn to Sway- 

 field, a distance of fourteen miles, including the return jour- 

 ney, every day, and one day a week two miles extra. The 

 horse leaves Bourn between six and seven in the morning, and 

 reaches Bourn about seven in the evening. During his recrea- 

 tion at Swayfield, the horse is kept in further exorcise by 

 working at plough and other work upon a farm. He is with- 

 out blemish and in capital condition. His work for the last 

 sixteen years has been so uniform that the horse knows the 

 patricular places he has to stop at on given days of the week ; 

 for instance, he persistently stops at the barber's shop on 

 Tuesdays and Fridays, and six days a week he stops at a 

 draper's shop for parcels, and on Sundays he won't stop at 

 either place. His owner is so fond of him that, with a sort of 

 feeling of Tom Moody, he hopes that he and his horse may be 

 buried together.— Correspondence London Field. 



—Two little edible dogs from China have been received at 

 the Acclimatization Garden in Paris. These interesting ca- 

 nines have heads like pugs, are very, small and fat and short 

 legged, and are eaten usually when two months old, after be- 

 ing fed exclusively on rice and milk. They are eaten roasted, 

 and served in cuts with soy. 



<», . 



Eaton's Bust Preventative. — A correspondent suggests 

 the preventative as a sovereign remedy for canine parasites. 



