THE ANCIENT
LIFE-HISTORY
OF THE EARTH
A COMPREHENSIVE OUTLINE OF THE PRINCIPLES AND LEADING FACTS OF PALÆONTOLOGICAL SCIENCE
BY
H. ALLEYNE NICHOLSON
M.D., D.SC., M.A., PH. D. (GÖTT), F.R.S.E, F.L.S.
PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE.
The general objects or geological science—The older
theories of catastrophistic and intermittent
action—The more modern doctrines of continuous and
uniform action—Bearing of these doctrines
respectively on the origin or the existing
terrestrial order—Elements or truth in Catastrophism—General
truth of the doctrine of Continuity—Geological time.
PART I: PRINCIPLES OF PALÆONTOLOGY.
INTRODUCTION.
The general objects or geological science—The older
theories of catastrophistic and intermittent
action—The more modern doctrines of continuous and
uniform action—Bearing of these doctrines
respectively on the origin or the existing
terrestrial order—Elements or truth in Catastrophism—General
truth of the doctrine of Continuity—Geological time.
CHAPTER I.
Definition of Palæontology—Nature of
Fossils—Different processes of fossilisation.
CHAPTER II.
Aqueous and igneous rocks—General characters of the
sedimentary rocks—Mode or formation of the
sedimentary rocks—Definition of the term
"formation"—Chief divisions of the aqueous
rocks—Mechanically-formed rocks, their characters
and mode of origin—Chemically and organically formed
rocks—Calcareous rocks—Chalk, its microscopic
structure and mode of formation—Limestone,
varieties, structure, and origin—Phosphate of
lime—Concretions—Sulphate of lime—Silica and
siliceous deposits of various kinds—Greensands—Red
clays—Carbon and carbonaceous deposits.
CHAPTER III.
Chronological succession of the fossiliferous
rocks—Tests or age of strata—Value of
Palæontological evidence in stratigraphical
Geology—General sequence of the great formations.
CHAPTER IV.
The breaks in the palæontological and geological
record—Use of the term "contemporaneous" as applied
to groups of strata—General sequence of strata and
of life-forms interfered with by more or less
extensive gaps—Unconformability—Phenomena implied by
this—Causes of the imperfection of the
palæontological record.
CHAPTER V.
Conclusions to be drawn from fossils—Age of
rocks—Mode of origin of any fossiliferous bed—Fluviatile,
lacustrine, and marine deposits—Conclusions as to
climate—Proofs of elevation and subsidence of
portions of the earth's crust derived from fossils.
CHAPTER VI.
The biological relations of fossils—Extinction of
life-forms—Geological range of different
species—Persistent types of life—Modern origin of
existing animals and plants—Reference of fossil
forms to the existing primary divisions of the
animal kingdom—Departure of the older types of life
from those now in existence—Resemblance of the
fossils of a given formation to those of the
formation next above and next below—Introduction of
new life-forms.
PART II: HISTORICAL PALÆONTOLOGY.
CHAPTER VII.
The Laurentian and Huronian periods—General nature,
divisions, and geographical distribution of the
Laurentian deposits—Lower and Upper
Laurentian—Reasons for believing that the Laurentian
rocks are not azoic based upon their containing
limestones, beds of oxide of iron, and graphite—The
characters, chemical composition, and minute
structure of Eozoön Canadense—Comparison of Eozoön
with existing Foraminifera—Archœosphœrinœ—Huronian
formation—Nature and distribution of Huronian
deposits—Organic remains of the Huronian—Literature.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Cambrian period—General succession of Cambrian
deposits in Wales—Lower Cambrian and Upper
Cambrian—Cambrian deposits of the continent of
Europe and North American—Life of the Cambrian
period — Fucoids — Eophyton — Oldhamia — Sponges —
Echinoderms — Annelides — Crustaceans — Structure of
Trilobites—Brachiopods—Pteropods, Gasteropods, and
Bivalves—Cephalopods—Literature.
CHAPTER IX.
The Lower Silurian period—The Silurian rocks
generally—Limits of Lower and Upper Silurian—General
succession, subdivisions, and characters of the
Lower Silurian rocks of Wales—General succession,
subdivisions, and characters of the Lower Silurian
rocks of the North American continent—Life of the
period — Fucoids — Protozoa — Graptolites —
Structure of Graptolites — Corals — General
structure of Corals — Crinoids — Cystideans —
General characters of Cystideans — Annelides —
Crustaceans — Polyzoa — Brachiopods — Bivalve and
Univalve Molluscs—Chambered Cephalopods—General
characters of the Cephalopoda—Conodonts.
CHAPTER X.
The Upper Silurian period—General succession of the
Upper Silurian deposits of Wales—Upper Silurian
deposits of North America—Life of the Upper Silurian
— Plants — Protozoa — Graptolites — Corals —
Crinoids — General structure of Crinoids —
Star-fishes — Annelides — Crustaceans — Eurypterids
— Polyzoa — Brachiopods — Structure of Brachiopods —
Bivalves and Univalves — Pteropods — Cephalopods —
Fishes — Silurian literature.
CHAPTER XI.
The Devonian period—Relations between the Old Red
Sandstone and the marine Devonian deposits—The Old
Red Sandstone of Scotland—The Devonian strata of
Devonshire—Sequence and subdivisions of the Devonian
deposits of North America—Life of the period —
Plants — Protozoa — Corals — Crinoids — Pentremites
— Annelides — Crustaceans — Insects — Polyzoa —
Brachiopods — Bivalves — Univalves — Pteropods —
Cephalopods — Fishes — General divisions of the
Fishes—Palæontological evidence as to the
independent existence of the Devonian system as a
distinct formation—Literature.
CHAPTER XII.
The Carboniferous period—Relations of Carboniferous
rocks to Devonian—The Carboniferous Limestone or
Sub-Carboniferous series—The Millstone-grit and the
Coal-measures—Life of the period—Structure and mode
of formation of Coal—Plants of the Coal.
CHAPTER XIII.
Animal life of the Carboniferous period — Protozoa —
Corals — Crinoids — Pentremites — Structure of
Pentremites — Echinoids — Structure of Echinoidea —
Annelides — Crustacea — Insects — Arachnids —
Myriapods — Polyzoa — Brachiopods — Bivalves and
Univalves — Cephalopods — Fishes — Labyrinthodont
Amphibians—Literature.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Permian period — General succession, characters,
and mode of formation of the Permian deposits — Life
of the period — Plants — Protozoa — Corals —
Echinoderms — Annelides — Crustaceans — Polyzoa —
Brachiopods — Bivalves — Univalves — Pteropods —
Cephalopods — Fishes — Amphibians — Reptiles —
Literature.
CHAPTER XV.
The Triassic period—General characters and
subdivisions of the Trias of the Continent of Europe
and Britain—Trias of North America—Life of the
period — Plants — Echinoderms — Crustaceans —
Polyzoa — Brachiopods — Bivalves — Univalves —
Cephalopods — Intermixture of Palæozoic with
Mesozoic types of Molluscs — Fishes — Amphibians —
Reptiles — Supposed footprints of Birds — Mammals —
Literature.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Jurassic period—General sequence and
subdivisions of the Jurassic deposits in
Britain—Jurassic rocks of North America—Life of the
period — Plants — Corals — Echinoderms — Crustaceans
— Insects — Brachiopods — Bivalves — Univalves —
Pteropods — Tetrabranchiate Cephalopods —
Dibranchiate Cephalopods — Fishes — Reptiles — Birds
— Mammals — Literature.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Cretaceous period—General succession and
subdivisions of the Cretaceous rocks in
Britain—Cretaceous rocks of North America—Life of
the period — Plants — Protozoa — Corals —
Echinoderms — Crustaceans — Polyzoa — Brachiopods —
Bivalves — Univalves — Tetrabranchiate and
Dibranchiate Cephalopods — Fishes — Reptiles — Birds
— Literature.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Eocene period—Relations between the Kainozoic
and Mesozoic rocks in Europe and in North
America—Classification of the Tertiary deposits—The
sequence and subdivisions of the Eocene rocks of
Britain and France—Eocene strata of the United
States—Life of the period — Plants — Foraminifera —
Corals — Echinoderms — Mollusca — Fishes — Reptiles
— Birds — Mammals.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Miocene period—Miocene strata of Britain—Of
France—Of Belgium—Of Austria—Of Switzerland—Of
Germany—Of Greece—Of India—Of North America—Of the
Arctic regions—Life of the period—Vegetation of the
Miocene period — Foraminifera — Corals — Echinoderms
— Articulates — Mollusca — Fishes — Amphibians —
Reptiles — Mammals.
CHAPTER XX.
The Pliocene period—Pliocene deposits of Britain—Of
Europe—Of North America—Life of the period—Climate
of the period as indicated by the Invertebrate
animals—The Pliocene Mammalia—Literature relating to
the Tertiary deposits and their fossils.
CHAPTER XXI.
The Post-Pliocene period—Division of the Quaternary
deposits into Post-Pliocene and Recent—Relations of
the Post-Pliocene deposits of the northern
hemisphere to the "Glacial period"—Pre-Glacial
deposits—Glacial deposits—Arctic Mollusca in Glacial
beds—Post-Glacial deposits—Nature and mode of
formation of high-level and low-level gravels—Nature
and mode of formation of cavern-deposits—Kent's
Cavern-Post—Pliocene deposits of the southern
hemisphere.
CHAPTER XXII.
Life of the Post-Pliocene period—Effect of the
coming on and departure of the Glacial period upon
the animals inhabiting the northern hemisphere—Birds
of the Post-Pliocene—Mammalia of the
Post-Pliocene—Climate of the Post-Glacial period as
deduced from the Post-Glacial Mammals—Occurrence of
the bones and implements of Man in Post-Pliocene
deposits in association with the remains of extinct
Mammalia—Literature relating to the Post-Pliocene
period.
CHAPTER XXIII.
The succession of life upon the globe—Gradual and
successive introduction of life-forms—What is meant
by "lower" and "higher" groups of animals and
plants—Succession in time of the great groups of
animals in the main corresponding with their
zoological order—Identical phenomena in the
vegetable kingdom—Persistent types of life—High
organisation of many early forms—Bearings of
Palæontology on the general doctrine of Evolution.
APPENDIX.
Tabular view of the chief Divisions of the
Animal Kingdom.
GLOSSARY. |
