“Oh, sure. They went everywhere.”
“Why didn’t the Moeritherium go everywhere?”
“Because—because; oh, I suppose, Africa wasn’t connected by land with Europe or Asia. Yes, that’s right. Africa was an island in the Eocene Period.”
“How about Zeuglodons, then? Would you find them in Haystack Mountain? The fact that Africa was an island wouldn’t matter to primitive whales.”
Perry rubbed his forehead in perplexity.
“I’ve a feeling,” he said slowly, “that there aren’t any there, but why?” He thought for a moment, then catching sight of a twinkle in his uncle’s eye, a sudden thought struck him. “Why, of course not,” he said, laughing at himself, “that’s inland. We’ve got Zeuglodons in the marine Eocene deposits in Florida.”
“I was wondering,” his uncle said, “if you were going to have whales walking all over the land. I just wanted to remind you that you’ve got to think of the conditions of the deposit as well as the age. One other thing, Perry. If, during the Eocene Period, Africa was an island, do you suppose America was connected with Europe and Asia or not?”
“N—no,” answered Perry doubtfully. “I think probably not. If it was a time when the land was depressed in Africa, it probably was depressed here.”
“Then if Africa had her own types of animals, like the Moeritherium, that we didn’t have, you might expect us to have some types that Africa and Europe and Asia didn’t have.”
“Like the giraffe-camels?”