The Ancient Life History of the Earth: A Comprehensive Outline of the Principles and Leading Facts of Pal?ontological Science

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Ancient Life History of the Earthby Henry Alleyne NicholsonThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.netTitle: The Ancient Life History of the Earth A Comprehensive Outline Of The Principles And Leading Facts Of Pal o�ntological Science Author: Henry Alleyne NicholsonRelease Date: December 6, 2004 [EBook #14279]Language: EnglishCharacter set encoding: ISO-8859-1*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE EARTH ***Produced by Robert J. HallTHE ANCIENT LIFE-HISTORY OF THE EARTHA COMPREHENSIVE OUTLINE OF THE PRINCIPLES AND LEADING FACTS OFPAL�ONTOLOGICAL SCIENCEBY H. ALLEYNE NICHOLSONM.D., D.SC., M.A., PH. D. (G�TT), F.R.S.E, F.L.S.PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWSPREFACE.The study of Pal ontology, or the science which is concerned �with the living beings which flourished upon the globe duringpast periods of its history, may be pursued by two parallel butessentially distinct paths. By the one method of inquiry, we maystudy the anatomical characters and structure of the innumerableextinct forms of life which lie buried in the rocks simply asso many organisms, with but a slight and secondary referenceto the _time_ at which they lived. By the other method, ...