THE HALL OF FOSSIL VERTEBRATES 



All these series have been placed according to geological age. 

 The most ancient specimens, found in the lowest rock-strata, 

 and hence representing the earliest stage of evolution, are placed 



first in the series. The most recent ones, found in the upper- 

 most rock-strata, and representing the final stage of evolution of 

 the race, are placed last. Arranging the species of a race from 

 each stratum in the order of the age of the strata, we find that 

 they show a regularly progressive change from the most ancient 



to the most recent. At no point in a given series can we draw 



a line and say: This is and that is not, a horse— or a camel or a 



rhin< r - The visitor, therefore, can demonstrate for himself 

 the evolution of the race of Horses or Camels or Rhinoceroses, 

 within certain limits. Of the evolution of Man we have no 

 satisfactory illustration from fossils. 



It should be observed that the evolution of a race consists 

 mainly in the adaptation of the structure of the animals to par- 

 ticular surroundings and habits of life. There is also a universal 

 progress in intelligence, the more ancient animals having rela- 

 tively smaller brains than their successors. 



ARRANGEMENT OF THE HALL. 

 Fossil Mammals. 

 On the north side of the hall next the entrance are arranged 

 the Amblypods, ancient hoofed animals long ago extinct, unlike 

 any living animal, although suggesting elephants, rhinoccn 

 opotami and bears in different parts of the body (skeletons 

 and Coryphodon, skulls of Uintatherium) . Next 

 to them are the Condylarths, the most ancient of Hoofed Mam- 

 mals, chief among them the Phenacodus skeleton, well known to 

 - and figured in most geological text-books as the proto- 

 the Hoofed Mammals. Next tothese an- the Carnn 

 or flesh-eating mammals, of which four fine skeletons are pi 

 in the large "A"-case. Then come the [nsectivora, or ins 



or gnawers, represented by small and incom- 

 tens. Then the Elephants . skulls 



of n. aid mammoths* and the various kinds of A- 



animals, which are allied to modern 



