PLIOCENE PERIOD 
A length of three score feet. Here too reside 
Crocodiles to so-called " Muggers " close allied. 
Long lizard forms, resembling Monitors, 
Pass placid hours on the sunny shores. 
Land tortoises of various kinds abound, 355 
As they had here a happy feeding ground. 
And on some scenes to giants are they grown, 
And shells six feet in length some creatures own. 
In streams and lakes, and shallows off the coasts, 
(Where now cat-fishes seem of finny hosts 360 
The most to prosper), cormorants are seen 
And pelicans ; (breeds both of which had been 
Long in Europa). Mergansers, that as yet 
Have not our eyes on western waters met, 
Here seek their prey. Ostriches, close allied 365 
To forms that stalk to-day the deserts wide 
Of Afric, does India too support ; 
And storks to her, of western form, resort. 
About this moving scene perchance there is 
Bird life more frail and beautiful than this, 370 
Earnest of that which after will arise, 
But if such be 'tis hidden from our eyes. 
Developed more are Nature's primates here 
Than those rude forms our eyes have seen elsewhere. 
The Langurs seem as western forms the same, 375 
(And those there seen perchance from Asia came.) 
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