, 1874-10-16
rho Geology OF California,

Prof. Cooper delivered worry interesting 'ec-
tnro potoro the Academy OF eciencos N San
synopgis, from tho Chronicle Of tho IT'LL will n-
sorost or scientific readers. The lecture was
Illustrative Of tho geologic condition OF Cali
foEnia during. tho p!ioccno or ooal-forn,-
ing epoch. Tho Professor uscd an orui-
nary map covered with oruptiyo bloschcs Of
red paper to show tho portions Of California ut
that tinlo covered with snlt or bracktsh vator,
by t!ia IL appeared that In tho pttoceno period,
probably acons before nlHn mnao blu appearance
on tho gloho, tho valleys Of tho Sacramento anal
San Joaquin formed vaEt inland uoa, vhiol, ex-
tandol from Tcha1na to Kern Counter, inclusive.
Tho bay Of San FrsnclAeo extended south
through tho Santa Clara F.lley into tho Salinas
y! Valley, counee:ing by ihq depression between
tho Buy OF Monterey. Tho Counties Of San
Francisco, San Alateo, and Santa Cruz formed
ali island not very far aboyo tho level Of the
ocean, and tho coaht range waa nluo above
ent- Portions OF the oonet woto at tin,no sub.
merged, which vero represented on tito Pro-
fehBorsI map by sanguinary 1trips, ono near San
Diego, n:iolncr nenr Santn Barbarn, and a long
ono extending from Mciidocfno County to Ore
gon and somo dislauco iilto tho interior. Tho
serraa wore not 60 high as ut present. and tlcro
weto Enat1y frosh- -Tator laes atnong them that
havo einco Disappeared. Tho Gulf Of California
cStondod fa1 inland, and included tho salt lake
which is now 200 feet below itB level.
Tho snSe-Eruhh deserts Of Nevada and Utal
weto covered with immense inland soaa tlen
frcuh, but na tho wnter ran or aud became con-
contratod, it bocamo salt, leaving tho Groat Salt
Lake rs rosduum. Tho vegetation was tropical
during tho plloceno epoch. Tho superficial ap-
poarance OF this 9tate was decidedly fragtnentnry
and insu!ar. The animals woro thon lnrgcr than
now. and uomo species oxiated that llavo since
dioappoarod.. Hugo lgorB resembling tho Ash
attic Bpccos, infested tic iungca of tho Siorras,
and wandered freely over Diablo and Tamalpals.
4 h,ccica of wolf. larger than any now living
in North America, hovled to tho Hea from tho
summit Of Telegraph Hil. Through tho luxu-
raiit forests royetl lama as largo rs n Dactran
camel, Herds Of huge buffalo tiAported in tho
meadows aloug with Wild horses Of giant rGce.
Tho rhinoceroa wAllowod i'll tho tuto lands of old
Inonmnn, and tho nnst0don crouched amid tho
trcc-liko forms and tho giant palms. Two islands
OF tho Santa ltosa group wero at that time
probably connected with tho main land, and two
moro thrown up during tho volcanic poriod that
succeeded tho tertiary, when tho bottom Of the
inland oea waa cloyatud tho highlands raisotl
still higher. and tho ocean, tho interior wateru,
and the land assumed very nearly ttor present
outlines. AL this was hundreds Of thousands Of
years ago, In tina 90 distant that tho mind
wearios in trying to conceive it..
The drift and glacinl period followed, when not
ONLY the siorras but tho Coast Nango and nj! tho
highlands Of the State, were covered with dcep
SHOWS, and from their yalleya poured tho ice-
rivers, bearing into tho plains gravel powders,
And Gnnd. IAoro arc gome grnvel-beta in TIM
state that arc 700 feet in thickness. Our glacial
period was Simultaneous with that of tho rest Of
tue world. In this cold time vegetation Was de-
driven to Alexico. Prof. Cooper slid that ho
differed with Prof. Whitney IN regard to tho an
tiquity OF tho CalaveraB skull, which lie seemed
to think OF com{aarntiyelv recent origin,