388 The American Geologist. a ae 
Always prepared to fill a gap or yield carbonic acid.— 
Our globe, the merest accident, now put a different garb on: 
To wit, a drop of water fell upon a hydro-carbon. 
The latter liked it, swelled apace, and having passed the spasm, 
Just multiplied by fission—and behold our protoplasm! 
Hence rose a progeny which needs ten thousand books to treat them 
Of Plasmodomous cells, and groups of Plasmophags to eat them.— 
Of Plasmodomous cells, and groups of Plasmophags to eat them— 
These Protozoa (single cells) improved their opportunities 
By independent union in Coenobian communities. 
They congregated closely but without connective tissue. 
By fission, spores, gemmation, were produced their further issue. 
Metazoic federation, next, the simple cells annexes, 
And swaddles them in tissue, and divides them into sexes. 
The Gastrula with double layers evolves in time but, slowly; 
The bloodless Coelentaria of course are the more lowly. 
The Coclomaria have blood, and cavities, and so forth, 
And from these federated cells man’s ancestors now go forth. 
A little ball and nucleus of membraned protoplasm 
By vastly various products spans the whole biotic chasm. 
The “ego” of the dog or man as Cytula is started, 
lwo cells and nuclei coalesced with parents traits imparted. 
Not only frame but soul results, a life becomes reality 
Till cellular secession and its consequent mortality. 
The path through earliest forms of life cannot be always threaded. 
For rocks cannot preserve the forms of plastic cells imbedded. 
So that the first beginnings of incipient zodlogy 
Are reasoned by analogy from studies in ontology. 
Yet, from the close agreement of the embryonic stages 
With the order of succession during geologic ages, 
Sufficient facts are furnished for analogy to go on 
In naming as our Adam a Laurentian Protozoow 
Which, then, through worms and mollusks in a constant progress 
rises 
Up to the stage of vertebrates—the end of all surmises. 
The time was scarce Devonian when our predecessors’ wishes 
Were gratified by reaching this exalted state—as fishes. 
Promotion followed slowly: first amphibian tails and claws, 
Then Permian Reptilia with poison in their jaws. 
Still higher rose our parent stock to realize our dreams, 
Ambitious to be Mammals they commenced as Monotremes. 
But this was not sufficient, and at quarter past Jurassic 
They grew to be Marsupials and made that structure classic. 
The hour was scarce Cretaceous when from mammals elemental 
They took the next degree above and budded out, placental. 
Nor here did effort sleep, as once the handsome youth Endymion, 
