Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-10-20


ceans, trilobites, crinolds do not alone mo-
nopolize the space of the exhibit IN paleon-
toiogy. There are all sorts of things of all
the geological ages. from the first to the
latest before our own, from the Laurentian
to the quaternary. There are reproductions
of the forms of giant reptiles, mastod ons and
models of the huge beasts of prehistoric
times. To the mini of the paleontologist the
term antediluvian does not convey the i'm
preston of great antiquity. He deals with
things of the age when the earth was shape
less. molten mass, of the age when 1t first
began to cool 50 that exist ence was made
possible upon it.
Properly the Ward collection has its begin
ming in the north end of the row of cabinets
which adOrn the east wall of the south gal
lery. Over the first division Of fossils is the
label ''Laurentian, which signifies the first
of the geological ages. In this age, accord
ing TO the erudition of paleontologists, the
molten mass first assumed shape and had
cooled so that it had a crust. With the
gradual coating and the forming of the crust
animal life developed. Whether in the Lau-
rentian age there was animal life there Is still
bone of contention, but certain 1t is that
there was in the succeeding age called the
CambrIan. Then the lowest order of animal
life found form. The coral sponges, crusta-
ceans and trilobites were the first things that
had existence. The fossils of these things
which have place in the collection were
naiS, Canada. and some near Bralntree,
Mass The FOSSILS peculiar TO the various
ages are taken from the strata of that age.
Biologists can distinguish the layers and
the formations of any OF the twelve geolOgI-
cal ages. The specimens are oftenest
found in mountain canOnS, broken places In
the earth and about volcanoes.
Right here in this cabinet of the Cambrian
age begins the forward march in the evolu-
ton of man. through molusks of all degrees
and finally through the mammals OF the
tertiary and quaternary ages. After the
Cambrian age came the OrdOvician. The
triiobtes became more numerous and In
creased in varieties and the crlnolds begin to
show forth.
Then the oyster made his bow to the vet
Grams of the earth and took up his abode.
The fourth division of time in geology was
the Silurian age, and at this time the appear
anceS of new forms of life were marvelously
frequent The nautilus is In evidence in
numerous fossils. Great quantities and
varieties of coral are seen. Still all the life
on earth was confined to invertebrate ami
mails and there were no signs OF vertebrates.
TIE star fish came in the DevonIan age.
score of varieties of these fish In fossils Were
founi at the falls of the Ohio near Louis
vile.
The modes of these prehistoric animals
probably attract more attention than any
other exhibit III the Anthropologlcal Build
the great Siberian mammoth which stands
near the center of the south gallery. The
restoration was made 10y the celebrated Ger
man preparatem, Herr L. Martin Inc
measurements were taken from the largest
bones of the mammoth contained In the
ROYAL museum of Stuttgart, while the char
acter of the outer covering Is copied from
portions of skin, covered with hair, taken
from a mammoth that was found In lI99 III
glacier ice near the mouth OF the KlVer Lena,
rxy..1 in m
perial museum of ST. Petersburg. The specl-
men stands sixteen feet high and twenty-five
feet long from its tail to the forward curve
OF the trunk. The tusks are nearly SIX feet
long AMI curved. A huge skeleton OF a
n,esios4urus a marine reptile OF the JuraSs1c
lime stands with a coterie of other models.
The original specimen was found in 1845 In
the Lias, near Whitby, England. 1t meas
ures over twenty-five feet and would De
hideous compliment &c any nightmare.
restored cast in plaster of the huge dino
saurian reptile, the hadrosaurus fouIkn,
from the upper cretaceans of New Jersey.
stands near the huge mammoth. a tesbuuo
OF wonderful proportions, and an immense
ungulates or hoofed animal, called the dino
saurus, which, in the tertiary day, were nu-
merous in Wyoming.
In the measure of the Ward exhibit are
| the skeleton and several legs of various sPeci-
| mems of moa a gigantic, wingless bird, found
! in recent deposits in New Zealand. The moas
were but lately exterminated Complete
/ skeletons, with portions OF the skin and
feathers still adhering, have been found.
| gIypto1on relic of the latter part of the
/ certiary age was found near Monteyideo. A
| cast of this animal is contained in the Ward
! exhibit. II was a huge armadlllo, but With
! out the bands or joints present in modern
! species. by means of which they roll
! themselves into d ball. There are nearly
/ : .ore or NOR OF these peculiar animals, all
/ of which have no eQunterparts 10 Iaodera
| life,