Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-07-19
The Great Lakes Their pre-H Historic
Changes.

Professor ]. S. Newberry, recently
| delivered q lecture before the New
York Lyceum Of Natural History,
on the Great Lakes of Northwestern
America. We make the following
extracts:
The changes that have taken place
in the topography of the Western
Continent, have affected greatly the
animal and vegetable life of a coun-
try at that time as beautiful and fer
tile as any other. The tertiary de-
posts Of the eastern portion of the
continent were marine, and at the
far West also there is a series Of ter
tiary doposits-in California in the
region Of tho Sierra Nevada-marine
in character. But in the interior of
the continent is far more interest
ing series of tertian water deposits
- fresh water containing great
number of fossil plants and also
the most remarkable series of
animal deposits to be found on this
continent east of the Rocky Noun
tains. There are two species of
rhinosceroa, the elephant, hippine
quadrupeds, the saber-tooth cat,
whose tooth was in one specimen
eight inches beyond the jaw, the
most formidable tooth of any animal
Of which we have any knowledge.
These deposits of the West were
formed in fresh water basins, and
yet now there are almost no fresh
water basins in that region.
Some slight idea Of the nature of
these deposits may be formed from
the fact that almost everybody going
to California talks about chalk de-
posits. Following in the old emf
grant train you will see various slabs
of this chalk-like earth set up for
grave-stoncs. These infusoral beds
are portions Of these fresh water de-
posits. On the western side of the
Rocky Mountains the deposits are
similar, and are rich in diatomes.-
The fauna are interesting. On the
east sids Of the Rocky Mountains
the tertiary deposits have been but
little studied, although [ have paid
some attention toithem.
There are many alterations. The
rivers sun through country com
parativcIy level and have cut down
through the bottoms Of broad val
loys, forming .canons, whose walls
ore 1000 to 1000 feet high, and
nearly vertical. The material enter
ing into the deposits show volcanic
proximity. From them you can get
an idea Of the material thrown down
in these ancient lakes, The conclus-
ion Of this is, that on oil these sides
OF the Rocky Mountains there were
found extensive sheets of tertiary
deposits full Of the most interesting
fauna on this continent. These lakes
covered an area many times greater
than our present fresh water lakes.
They characterize q time in the his
tory Of this continent, which was
exceedingly we'll watcred, and con-
tain fauna richer than any other
portion of the world at the present
time, and almost all Of them extinct.
The climate indicated by the plants
and animals was subtropical, and
fern plants grew in great abundance
from the Upper Missouri even be-
yond the British line, and fora COW
cred all the northern part Of the
continent, SO that men lived and
vegetation luxuriated even in Green
land. Salt Lake represents only q
series Of such lakes--anciently fresh,
becoming salt because Of want of
drainage. A great many salt lakes
and alkaline plains were here. The
drainage now by the klamath and
other rivers is very great, and shows
that it has been greatly improved
The drainage is now among the most
stupendous movements of the circu.
lation Of the water on the earth that
we have anywhere. These lakes
have now entirely disappeared