Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-09
Frogs Bigger Than Oxen-Other Won
derS.

SCOiOSiCdI CIdS, 1TUl. SdnDOIu 1GUuey
spoke of the climate and life of the car
boniterous age. The climate was warm,
Tor the reason that at that time the Arctic
sea was in temperature sixty degrees
Fahrenheit, even in winter, if there was
any winter at that time The highest life
then was reptillan, and not of the highest
grade. No birds built their nests in
those ancient forests, and man found no
shelter there.
The name "triassic" came from Ger
many, and has no special significance;
triassic rock is found on this continent, in
Nova Scotia, Virginia and New Jersey.
1t is red sandstone, its color coming from
the iron In its composition. In the Con-
necticut valley it is 5000 to 5000 feet in
thickness, and it crops out in the great
Rocky Mountain belt and Sierra Nevada
Mountains. Triassic rocks are used for
building purposes. The Portland quarry
OF red sandstone is triasSic, and brown
stone fronts Of buildings are of that kind
OF rock. In North Carolina there are eX-
traordinary coal beds in triassic rock. On
the tanks OF the Nevadas are .jurassic and
triassic combined as slate rock, disturbed
and broken, and also veins of gold bearing
quartz. In 1S49, when there was such a
rush to the gold-fields, gold was found
spread broadcast over that section of the
country. The life of the triassic age was
included in two great groups, gymnos-
perms and acr0sgens. In England and on
the continent Of Europe the triassic rock
contains fossiliated remains of marine ami
mails. In the United States, especially in
the Connecticut valley, the stone contains
fossils Of land and aquatic mot sea- ami
mails. In the same valley are found also
those remarkable tracks Of animals ola race
long since extinct A large number, pos
sibly 10000, Of these tracks have been
found in sandstone, proving that 300 or
800 different kinds of animals then ex-
listed that do not now. Tracks were found
in Hadley that were made by animals allied
to the frog, and they must have been as
large as oxen. Some of these tracks I'M
mistakably indicate kind of frog, but
having short tail, and he must have been
bigger than an OK. His voice must have
been deep and mellOw.-IEmes. Other
tracks belonged to birds twelve or fourteen
feet in height. Biologists were divided
IN opinion as to the animals, whether they
were reptiles or birds The weight of
opinion was in favor of the former. There
were great numbers of these animals, and
they existed through long period of
Il. i
showing the imprint of animal feet. How
the imprints were secured and preserved
was easily explained. When the tide was
out, the bird or reptile left the impress OF
its feet in the compact but yielding sand.
The sun dried the impress, and when the
tide came in a film of sand filled into the
cavity, and thus preserved the mold.
Thus the existence of those animals was
made known millions Of years afterward.
A diagram was shown, giving the impress
of rain-drops upon Portland sandstone
in the early ages. The highest animal
life was the mammalia. A view of a jaw
was shown which gave evidence OF the
first mammal on this planet.
The jurassic rock was so-called from the
Jura Mountains, which was composed of
that rock. In Europe some Of the
jurassic-called rock might be trassic.
Life in the jurassic age was exceedingly
abundant, and high as regarded reptiles.
In this period were found most remarka-
bic mollusks. In the jurassic and creta-
ceous periods they reached their highest
development and exhibited forms wonder
full il variety and beauty. Immense cut
fetish then existed, of which most excel
lently preserved specimens had been
found. 1t was known that when the cut
tie fish was pursued, it emitted an inky
substance that clouded the water and ena-
bled it to escape. This ink-bag had been
found imbedded in rock and preserved in
tact, Just as it was 10000 times 10000
years ago. In this period were verte-
brates, fishes and reptiles The display
Of the latter was most wonderful. There
were three types, the ichthyosaurus,
pterodacuyl and megalossaurus. The first
were from ten to forty feet in length,
swimming with paddles instead Of fins,
with eyes ten inches in diameter, jaws six
feet in length, and very long necks. The
second type were capable of walking,
flying or crawling, and lived upon the
land The third class was of immense
size, often forty feet in length, inter
mediate between the monitor and crocO-