Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-10-09

The Record of the Rocks.

Many of the ablest and most dis
tinguished scientists do not fiUd the
popular theory of Evolution Gus.
tanned by theis studies of the re-
mains of animal forms Known as
fossils In the conclusion 20 se.
ries of very Interesting papers by
S. W. Ford. published IN the New
York Tribune, he says:
"Fhe facts in opposition to tho
theory that all Silurian forms have
been derived from common pre-
primordial ancestor through the OPP
erations of the laws of nature, are,
not only numerous, but apparently
insurmountable. In the first place,
no such fine gradations exist among
genera and species ~ we should ex-
pect to meet with on this theory
while the stability of certain { ener-
~ LypUo u, voil 40 Of UprLaIn spe.
cific forms through enormous peri
DDS of time, is a positive fact bear
ing in the same direction, of even
greater force The primordial mol
tuscan genera Lingula and Discina
and the almost equally ancient
Lower Slurian genera Nautilus,
Rhynchonella, Crania. and Pleuroto.
maria, still continue to exist in our
seas while number of other
Lower Silurian genera extend
through the whole Paleozoic series,
and certain species through several
periods, or an entire system of
rocks.
again, the order as we'll as man.
ner of introduction Of the various
classes and tribes Of the Silurian is
widely at variance with the re
quirements of this theory. If the
earth has been stocked with living
forms in tho way it supposes, We
should expect to find in the lowest
Primordial beds first. Sea- weeds,
then Sponges and other Protoz ans;
next, Polyp-corals and Acalephs,
with, later on, Cysiids and Crinids
next, BryoZoans. Brachiopods,
Aoephala. Petrcpods, Gasteropods,
and Ccphalopods; and lastly, Phyl.
lopods, Ostracoids and Tribolites.
tho species decreasing in number
from the Sponges upward through
the several tribes or classes. But
the facts, as we have seen in arti.
Gle 2, gives contrary rendering,
and show that the Cystids pr; ced-
ed the Polyr-corals that the
Brachiopods preceded the Lamelli-
branchs or Acephala, as, however,
on this theory, they should have
done, although accompanied, as the
outset, by both Pteropods and Gas
teropods, classes above the Acepha.
la in geological rank; and that the
Trllobites and other Crustaceans.
antedated both the Cephalopods
and Lamellioranchs, aud even the
Crinids, these latter, as l have be-
fore observed, not appearing until
the next peri d. Furthermore, the
number OF species of Primordial
Trilobites is many told greater
than that of all the other classes of
the period.
81 will now add d few words
upon the manner of appearances of
the classes and tribes under notice.
and with these bring my observa.
tions to close. 10 the lowest beds
10 which Trilobites are found at all.
we meet with forms having nearly
the greatest number of body. seq.
ments known in the tribe. along
with those possessing the smallest |
number; with forms of gigantic as
well as diminutive proportions; and |
with rich and varied display of |
generic types. As l have pointed |
out 10 my second article, they do |
not appear at all in the lowest Pri-
mordial rocks, but higher up, come |
upon the scene, fully
armed and full feGged, and without
the exhibition of any premon tory
symptoms on the part of the earlier
Sponges, Brachiopods or Ptcropods.
so far as We Can discover. of their
The Cephslopods. Aceph.
ala, Crinids. and Polyps make
;heir first appearance in the same /
quiet and unexpected way, and the
same is true of the Eurypterids and
Fishes. lp my judgment, the trans
mutation theory fails 10 account for
these facts and If animals possess
or have ever possessed. or are snr-
or have ever seen sur
rounded by any force or powe,
compe emit, in the course of gee, to
evolve an Ouaaceras out of an Or
his. or CANDID out Of q Herygot-
"a, such force of power remains 10 !