The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-03-04


In order to comprehend the re
markabl- evolutions one era brings
consider conditions now and at tn,
of the Messozoic. Its plant and ami
NAL life, its geoprahical features
its climate. No anthropoids arr
known to have existed.
Mammals were few and small
Reptilian life prevailed, Dinosaura,
OF great size and numbers roameG
the land. Tropical plants thrived
far into the Arctic region. The
physical features were no less Ia.
markable than its plant and animal
life and its climate.
The greatest change is seen. pre-.
haps. in climate. From the tropical
condition of Messozoic time we pass
to the frigid condition of luater.
nary when the huge Ice shee,
thousands of feet in thickness
covered the land reducing North
America to the condition of Green
land Alaska. Another remarkable
change is seen in the rapid declind.
and final extinction of the reptiles
which were replaced by Mammals
of great size and numbers.
Here we see for the first time the
ancestral family of the pig, the
horse. curious three-toed creature
primitive hoofed animals, ambly-
pode, cud-chewing. ruminants, to
which family the COW belongs and
the first antbropod. man-like, the
monkey. Plant life exhibits the
presence of modern forest trees: Oak,
Maple. Willow, Sycamore, and far to
the north, in the Arctic Circle mod
ern tropical fruit thrived prior to
quaternary time.
In the Tertiary age the land bod
les of the northern hemisphere wera
joined at the north, permitting con-
tinuous passage for animal life,
while those of the southern hemi-
sphere were joined by way of the
Antarctic land and between, swept
transverse seas, of which the Med
iterranean and Caribbean are
shrunken remnants" Reminding
one of the mighty strength of the
ocean river" indeed it is difficult to
other than admire the many beauti.
full and striking parallels between
the myths and the things that are
and the things that WERE"
In the Miocene time a transgress-
ion of the sea over portions of the
western land occurred during which
eold-bearing gravel was laid down
through old gullies in Californ-
ia laud Extensive volcanic ac-
tiv ity occurred throughout the time.
Various centers from Alaska to
Mexico had their birth in this peri
cd. Yellow Stone National Park
is one. North and South America
were joined for the first time, and
the strength of the ocean river brok-
en-, Florida united to the continent,
the West Indies rose into land. The
MastOdOn an Over-grown Elephant
here appears.
The Pleistocene animal life was
prevailingly mammal of great size.
In the eocene we first saw carniv-
ores and in the pleistocene they had
attained their highest devlopment.
Gigantic cats, Armadiilos, sabre
tooth tigers are among those found
After the millions of years have
past during which time plant and
animal life have existed in various
forms, evolved from mere specks Of
matter to their highest development
and died, and after cycles of million
years this particle of the universe
has held it's course in passing from
gaseous to solid form, a new life
appears. Here for the first time,
in Glacial age man is seen, and
whatever state of development he
has attained, has been since glacial
time. Millions of years have been
Topped off, whole ages have been
passed over; but sufficient has been
given to show in a general way the
divine law of progress is evolution.