New-York tribune., 1902-12-21
THE ORIGINAL DISTRIBUTION OF ANNALS
NEW THEORY BASED ON DISCOVERY OF FOSSIL
NONKEY IN WYOMING BY DR.
WORTuf4N, OF YALE
WORI.M4N, OF YALE.

of the flora and fauna over the earth becomes
feasonab BILE. There were two continents down
Whlch this recession of life passed-southward,
oNer Europe and Asia, and southwark. over
North America. The theory then comes down
TO this. That these two main streams of eradu-
any retreating life, the vegetable and animal,
PASSED southward in front of the advancing
cold and ice. till the earth was inha bited life
hohoW1ng the tropics everywhere. On this the
ory the whole question of the distribution OF
certain forms of life the earth becomes
clear. Animal life on this continent developed
nc no hgher than the South American monkeys.
The Old World current developed into the an
!hfopo1d ape, and then, by colossal accident,
into man.
One of the strongest evidences for nv belief
lhat migration took place from the north south
Ward is that at the beginning of several periods
IN the geological scale we have suddenly ap-
pearing specimens of entirely strange and new
sPeCleS OF animal life. AT the commencement
or the first period of the Eocene, for instance we
nave seventy-five species of higher mammals
apparently coming into existence all at once
In the cretaceous the same phenomenon hap
pened, species dying out later. The Wasatch
period of the Wyoming Eocene brings the
monkeys To say that these species sprang into
being all at onCe and in sudden bounds is
thinkabe. Migration is the only possible reason
northern region southwark as the ice formed
and the tropical vegetation died that preceded
IT. This. TO my mind. is proof positive of the
Doreal origin of life. The face of nature
changed, also, during this gradual recession of
types southwark. Following the tropical epoch
in the north came a time of open plains, as is
animals found. the newer species having
structure adapted to open country running. Ali
animals followed the tropical zone south, except
such few as adapted themselves to the colder
climate, and remained the borders of the
advancing ice fields Most other species died
and became extinct, being either unable to
adapt themselves to the conditions not
following the others south. The monkeys went
with the forests, following the tropics, until
now they are extinct on this continent except in
South America. The thing identcally
happened in the Old World. animal and vege
table life following the tropics south as the ice
advanced from the north, until in some unusual
conditions born from the highest type
of apes.
One specimen which / brought back with me
this week from Wyoming is worth its weight in
first water diamonds II is the skull of an
Eocene monkey showing the two jaws complete.
with their complement of teeth the first, may
say, that has ever been found. The teeth prove
beyond controversy that these Eocene forms
are monkeys and not lemurs. fact which is of
the highest Importance. Instead of the pro-
trudng lower teeth, this specimen showed the
upright teeth of the living monkeys of to-day.
different from the Old World lemurs. 1t has
also mOarS similar to certain of the South
American monkeys The character OF the skel-
eton, moreover, points to the monkeys OF South
America as its nearest living ally. 1 cannot but
conclude. therefore, that there is generic con-
nection between the two.