Evening star., 1924-01-13
6T DR. n. w. sHUFELDr.

the world there was a time
i whom the living forms that
inhabited the { erritory we
now designate as the District of Co.
iumoia were widely different from
those that constitute its present
1auna- 1t was the home. doubtless,
OF races OF people Of which we pos
sess no history and Of wild animals
or which we have no knowledge.
All OF the lower forms-or those
! creatures below man in the life scale
were, beyond all question, far
more abundant not to say varied,
then than now, and this likewise ap-
piles to trees and plants. Species
OF inse0s could be collected which
are noS forms of the past. and this
may be said with equal truth of such
groups Is We have in fishes reptiles,
birds and mammals
FOR example. it has long been
known that our now almost extinct
nunalo roamed over this country in
areas adapted TO its needs; several
specists of deer and elk doubtless oc-
Cured in herds. and bears were here
In plenty, as well as not few Of the
large and dangerous animals of the
cat order. Lower in the scale we
would have met with various repre-
sentatives Of the rodent group, of
the fnustelines. the otter, wolverine,
and their relatives near and remote,
while animals In that particular age,
OF which we now have no knowledge
at sll. may have died out.
Sbil this applies to the birds and
reptiles, and especially to the latter,
ss many Of the reptile group are
1ar more easily eXterminated than
are birds, and for the sufficient rea-
son that they do not possess the
power OF flight; that man Is usually
their great exterminators, and they
are more sensitive TO changes in their
environments.
AS to the fishes that then inhahit-
ed the Potomac and such Of its
tributaries as came to 1t from the
land area here being considered,
they, too, were different with re.
spect to the species represented, and
forms than existing have since be-
come creatures of past eras.
Still earlier than this-far earlier,
long before man appeared upon the
scene-there is no manner Of doubt
that a. most extraordinary land and
water fauna f1ourished over all OF
this territory, great beasts OF many
families, giant ostiches; ponderous
alligators and other reptiles swarmed
In the waters, together with hosts Of
their various allies Of many genera
tions, all being now for ages and
ages extinct, the only proof we pos
seSs of their former existence being
a meager display of their fossil re-
mains.
TWO great factors worked to the
end thus far briefly pictured, one
being changes Of various descriptions
in the land and water areas, and, ages
later, the appearance Of man in the
mammal group. Some of the changes
in topography were extremely grad
ual, while others were far more rapid
and varied in character.
Changes in topography Involved
many other changes in the matter Of
alterations In plant life. in land and
IC
All this reacted upon the animal life
of the region, causing many forms
rapidly to disappear, and, gradually,
very gradually, altering the physical |
characters Of others. !
After the introduction Of man, and !
he became the dominant type, tho !
forms below him in tho scale Of life
paid far heavier toll. as. for food !
or for fun, he simply, with varying
degrees OF deliberation, wiped out en- |
tire groups of those animals that CO. |
existed with him.
We have discovered. unraveled and |
studied great deal along such lines, |
and made q very fair contribution to |
our literature and knowledge in the |
same fields: but we are still a long,
n. very long, way from possessing any
thing like a full history Of the changes |
that took place during the almost in |
conceivably long periods and ages OF |
geologic time, during which the vast
notifications In form, habits and dis
tribution OF the living species were
Effected. No, not even in such a lin
tied area as the one that we now call
the District Of Columbia.
1t matters little whence tho man
of the region came or the line Of his
descent; that Is a question that does
not concern US here. Upon tho other
hand, his influence as the dominant
type in the mammalian fauna Of the
region is a matter OF great interest
to US. not to say Importance. AS he
rapidly gained the ascendancy in
power to destroy life-and only rare
ly at the expense Of his own-the