. The story of the earth and man [microform]. Geology; Paleontology; Man; Géologie; Paléontologie; Homme. ^ Itliit HiiiiilHiilima iniiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiii!. 180 THE STORY OP THE EARTH AND MAN. tending to cause tlie weaker parts of the earth's crust alternately to rise and subside at regular intervals of time. Herschel, Adhcmar, and more recently Croll, have directed attention to astronomical cycles supposed to have important influences on the temperature of the earth. Whether these or othe^ changes may have acted on the equilibrium of its crust is a question well worthy of attention, as its solu
. The story of the earth and man [microform]. Geology; Paleontology; Man; Géologie; Paléontologie; Homme. ^ Itliit HiiiiilHiilima iniiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiii!. 180 THE STORY OP THE EARTH AND MAN. tending to cause tlie weaker parts of the earth's crust alternately to rise and subside at regular intervals of time. Herschel, Adhcmar, and more recently Croll, have directed attention to astronomical cycles supposed to have important influences on the temperature of the earth. Whether these or othe^ changes may have acted on the equilibrium of its crust is a question well worthy of attention, as its solution might give us an astronomical measure of geological time. This question, however, the geologist must refer to the astronomer. There are two notes of caution which must here be given to the reader. First, it is not intended to apply the doctrine of continental oscillations to the great oceanic areas. Whether they became shallower or deeper, their conditions would be different from those which occurred in the great shallow plateaus, and these conditions are little known to us. Further, throughout the Palaeozoic period, the oscillations do not seem to have been sufficient to reverse the positions of the oceans and continents. Secondly, it is not meant to affirm that the great Permian plications were so wide- spread m their effects as to produce a universal de- struction of life. On the contrary, after they hacj occurred, remnants of the Carboniferous fauna still flourished even on surfaces of the continents, and possibly the inhabitants of the deep ocean were little affected by these great movements. True it is that the life of the Palaeozoic terminates with the Permian, but not by a great and catacl -jiic overthrow. We know something at least of the general laws of. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the origi
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