The Ancient Life History of the Earth eBook

Henry Alleyne Nicholson
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 483 pages of information about The Ancient Life History of the Earth.

The Ancient Life History of the Earth eBook

Henry Alleyne Nicholson
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 483 pages of information about The Ancient Life History of the Earth.
(5) “On the Structure of Certain Organic Remains in the Laurentian
    Limestones of Canada.”  J. W. Dawson.  ’Quart.  Journ.  Geol. 
    Soc.,’ xxi. 51-59.
(6) “Additional Note on the Structure and Affinities of Eozooen
    Canadense.”  W. B, Carpenter.  ‘Quart.  Journ.  Geol.  Soc.,’ xxi.
    59-66.
(7) “Supplemental Notes on the Structure and Affinities of Eozooen’
    Canadense,” W. B. Carpenter, ‘Quart.  Journ.  Geol.  Soc.,’
    xxii. 219-228.
(8) “On the So-Called Eozooenal Rocks.”  King & Rowney.  ’Quart. 
    Journ.  Geol.  Soc.,’ xxii. 185-218.
(9) ‘Chemical and Geological Essays.’  Sterry Hunt.

The above list only includes some of the more important memoirs which may be consulted as to the geological and chemical features of the Laurentian and Huronian Rocks, and as to the true nature of Eozooen.  Those who are desirous of studying the later phases of the controversy with regard to Eozooen must consult the papers of Carpenter, Carter, Dawson, King & Rowney, Hahn, and others, in the ‘Quart.  Journ. of the Geological Society,’ the ’Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy,’ the ‘Annals of Natural History,’ the ‘Geological Magazine,’ &c.  Dr Carpenter’s ’Introduction to the Study of the Foraminifera’ should also be consulted.

[Footnote 10:  In this and in all subsequently following bibliographical lists, not only is the selection of works and memoirs quoted necessarily extremely limited; but only such have, as a general rule, been chosen for mention as are easily accessible to students who are in the position of being able to refer to a good library.  Exceptions, however, are occasionally made to this rule, in favour of memoirs or works of special historical interest.  It is also unnecessary to add that it has not been thought requisite to insert in these lists the well-known handbooks of geological and palaeontological science; except in such instances as where they contain special information on special points.]

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CAMBRIAN PERIOD.

The traces of life in the Laurentian period, as we have seen, are but scanty; but the Cambrian Rocks—­so called from their occurrence in North Wales and its borders ("Cambria “)—­have yielded numerous remains of animals and some dubious plants.  The Cambrian deposits have thus a special interest as being the oldest rocks in which occur any number of well-preserved and unquestionable organisms.  We have here the remains of the first fauna, or assemblage of animals, of which we have at present knowledge.  As regards their geographical distribution, the Cambrian Rocks have been recognised in many parts of the world, but there is some question as to the precise limits of the formation, and we may consider that their most typical area is in South Wales, where they have been carefully worked out, chiefly by Dr Henry Hicks.  In this region, in the neighbourhood of the promontory of St David’s, the Cambrian Rocks are largely developed, resting upon an ancient ridge of Pre-Cambrian (Laurentian?) strata, and overlaid by the lowest beds of the Lower Silurian.  The subjoined sketch-section (fig. 27) exhibits in a general manner the succession of strata in this locality.

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