Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-05-07

the Thames not less than 100 species. So in the
4 Tertiary and other beds. In the basin of Paris
4 alone are 1900 species Of shells-more than have
been found living in the whole Atlantic more
than in the Mediterranean
Instances might be multiplied showing that each
of these twelve creations had great variety Of
animals now exists. All the great types are
found everywhere. As corals are found in the
lowest strata, distinct in species, but of the
family as ours of to-day. They go through all
the strata, all distinct from each other yet all Of
! the same general type.
We find no fossil jelly fshes-their soft, gela-
tnous texture could not be preserved. But two
have been found in. the limestone formation and
two specimens from the Oolitic.
There were Star fishes from the beginning but
not perfect now. The earlier species are all
attached-they first found free in the Ootic
formation; in fact the earlier we penetrate, the
lower we find all the animal types. There are
living echinoderms superior to any FOSSIL
! Mollusks, bivalye, unlvalve, and chambered, are
/ found belonging to all epochs. In these the col
lateral symmetry, characteristic of this family, is
least developed in the Oldest fossils.
! Of Articuates-as worms, crustacea, insects,
also fndspecimens in the lowest stratifed rocks.
The Tribolites found so abundantly in the lime
stone of New York are an instance. They are also
perfect, enlarged specimens of the embryo crab of
the present day. In these we see the same plan
unfolded, successive graduation from the lower to
the higher types.
OF Vertebrates, in the lowest beds, we find only
fishes. There no reptiles even in the coal for
nations. From the plants of that period we infer
that there dry land-all the vegetation
being such as would grow only in swamps orin the
water. There was probably no breathing animal
until after the coal depJsitons In the next stra-
tum we find reptiles. 1t must not be inferred that
even those early fishes were like ours-they are
unlike as birds and reptiles; indeed so dissinilar
to ours as not to be easily recognized as belonging
to that class.
Birds arc first observed in the new red sand
stone, formed in the valley of the Connecticut,
and near the coast in New Jersey and New York.
The Mammals appear last-no where before the
deposition Of the tertiary rocks In all these class
es there has been graduation in appearance as
well in character.
As either animals, though successfully created,
have had similar type from the beginning; ante
cedent series of classes of the same family between
all of which there is a community of characters
tics, linking by reference to the same plan of
structure, so it is with man. If we trace the Pc
culiar organization which belongs to him back to
its earliest expression, shall find it in the fishes.
The fish is as it were, the prototype Of man.
The fish was the first intimation of the idea
Which fully developed only when man was
called into existence. The family is the same, but
it is an identity of expression alone, not through
transmission progressive development. Even
the first reptiles were not derived from fishes
they were distinct at the earliest PERIOD than
in their later representatives The admission of
any idea of transmission from other kinds would
he to overthrow Physiology and Comparative An
anoIny altogether. The conclusion is perfectly
gratuitous. There is not particle of evidence to
sustain such graduation in single instance.
The end towards which all these notifications of
the material and animal world tends, is man.
While there is a complete separation between diff
ferent species of living beings, they have allrcached
their highest development in the present order of
things. The whole process has led to this result
throughout, there has been the simultaneous exist
ence OF these classes, evidently planned from the
for this end; arranged SO as to find
their full expression and highest type in man.
The question arises whether there will be further
progress-whether there will be another creation |
and an order of beings higher than man. In an
imal structures, the present plan, there
room for further progress. If examine the |
structure of the vertebrates, see that fishes have
the back in horizontal positon-that the brain
is mere prolongation of the spinal marrow-that
their structure confines them to horizontal posi-
ton, which they also keep while in motion. In
reptiles we find another structure the anterior
lobe of the brain is small, the middle larger. In
birds the middle lobe advances so as partly to COW
er the posterior lobe. In man the hindmost lobe
is covered by the middle one, and that by the an
terier lobe The spine is VERTICAL giving an erect
position. Thus we see that in him the anterior
lobe of the brain is most prominent, and hence
especially of use; from their plan that
birds are adapted for moving freely in the air, So
ar there is gradation-there is no farther room
or charging on this plan. From fishes up to man
we haye evidences of plan, made with reference
o his introduction and superiority.
From these views we should learn the great re-
possibilities that belong to us as the lead of Gre
ltion and also the value and importance of these
studies.