Evening star., 1951-09-21
Rich Harvest of Fossils
Found in West Texas
Smithsonian Group Uncovers
Island in Sea of Time
BY Thomas R. Henry


BY Thomas R. Henry
An island in the sea of time is consti-
tuted by the Glass Mountains of West
Texas
Here Smithsonian Institution paIeon-
tologiStS are finding a rich harvest Of
fossils representing the Permian geologi-
cal period in earths history - about
30O,OO0,000 years ago, when some of the
most important developments in the evo-
luton OF living things were taking place,
THESE mountains apparently stand near
the southeast shore Of great inland
sea which covered much of the South
west during the Permian period.
A considerable variety of sea-bottom
and pelagic creatures representing the
primitive life of the time apparently
gathered on small. rocky reefs close to
the shore.
Among the most abundant were gonia-
tltes. Ihey were OF a group known as
cephalopods, sea creatures with much
the same internal mechanism as squids
and octopuses Of the present.
Abundant on the Reefs.
Abundant on the reefs also were crea-
lures belonging to the general class of
protozoanS now represented largely by
microscopic animals, many of which are
internal parasites. These consist of single
cells. Such were the fusulines, shaped
ike peas, and others which looked like
grains of rice.
1t Is customary to think of protozoans
as the most primitive forms of animal
lie. ms is not necessarily true The
slngte-cell pattern reached its hey-day
IN the Permlan, and among its develop
mentS were creatures as much as four
inches in diameter.
The Glass Mountain investigations are
being carried out by DR.. G.. Arthur
cooper. Smithsonian curator of pale
ontology. Other studies are being carried
out in New Mexico. Here, also was a
shoreline of the ancient sea where the
primitive creatures would be presumed
to have congregated in great abundance.
Some Permian creatures were large
and picturesque. They included some of
the earliest reptiles and largest amphib-
ians. These long since have been rather
thoroughly studied by paleontologists
throughout the world The tiny crea-
lures actually shed more light on the
AAAS cAio NOAAN1IlOI1S VI G1lc
A weird supernatural world was that
OF the Nootkan Indians of Vancouver
Island.
monograph on the history, ways of
life and superstitions of these people
by Philip Drucker of the Bureau of
American Ethnology has just been pub
hshed by the Smithsonian Institution,
1t deals with the tribes of these Indian
fishermen before the adoption of the
white mans culture
There was an undersea world where
the Salmon people and the Herring
people lived. each occupying half of a
great house. These beings lived there,
just like people, in human form when
they doffed their fish guises, which they
put on or took off like robes.
Several races of anthropomorphic be-
ings inhabited the woods Notable among
them were the ya'ai. They were similar
IN form to men with tufts of feathers
projecting from either side of the head.
Race of Peaceful Giants.
There also were the tciniath-tall,
shaggy-haired. red-skinned beings who
pursued people with spears. In the
same forests dwelt the manoh, a race
OF peaceful giants whose women had
long hair that dragged the ground when
loosened.
Far more feared than either of these
were the lost human souls, called puqmis.
When person nearly drowned and then
made his way ashore he would see flick
ering fires inviting him into the woods.
Should he try to go to them and warm
himself they led him, like will-o'-the-
wisps, on and on until he turned into
a puqmis He became an ugly white
color with protruding eyes that looked
like icicleS. The nails On his hands
and feet became long claws, and he
could run with incredible speed. Such
a creature was thoroughly malevolent.
The woods were filled with other ma
llgnant creatures such as headless ducks
with brilliant plumage, birds with human
faces. and kind of mountain lion that
walked backward and killed men with
its long, lancelike tail.
Among the snow covered peaks lived
the thunderbird. He was a huge man
who put on a birdlike dress to hunt
whales. His dogs were the lightning
flashes.
In the sea was the giantess Kapca,
who came floating to the surface slowly
like a drowned body, her long hair
streaming out in all directions. If she
raised her face from the water, the
mortal who saw it died