[142] Such a table, with an admirable exposition of the entire succession, as at present known, is given in the Appendix to Lyell's "Students' Manual of Geology."
[143] Lyell, basing his calculations on the surveys of Messrs. Humphreys and Abbott, but others give very different estimates.
[144] A perfectly parallel example is that of the growth of the peninsula of Florida in the modern period, by the same processes now adding to its shores; and this has afforded to Professor Agassiz a still more extended measure of the Post-tertiary period.
[145] Reade, of Liverpool, has recently given a much slower rate—one foot in 13,000 years—as a result of recent English surveys; but I have not seen his precise data, and the result certainly differs from those of all other observations.
[146] I am quite aware that it may be objected to all this that it is based on merely negative evidence; but this is not strictly the case. There are positive indications of these truths. For example, in the Mesozoic epoch the lacertian reptiles presented huge elephantine carnivorous and herbivorous species—the Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, etc.; flying species, with hollow bones and ample wings—the Pterodactyles; and aquatic whale-like species—Pliosaurus, Ichthyosaurus, etc. These creatures actually filled the offices now occupied by the mammals; and, though lacertian in their affinities, they must have had circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems far in advance of any modern reptiles even of the order of Loricates.
[147] "Story of the Earth"—concluding chapters.
[148] This was written in 1860 for the first edition of "Archaia." I see no reason to change it now, and its vindication will be, found in the Appendix.
[149] Heb. iv., 9; 2 Peter iii., 13.
[150] Hamilton.
[151] In the manner illustrated by Hyatt and Cope.