. The chain of life in geological time [microform] : a sketch of the origin and succession of animals and plants. Paleontology; Paleobotany; Paléontologie; Paléobotanique. APPEARANCE OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 131 dominant, or is developed to the exclusion of the others (Figs 118, 119). The Ganoids and Dipnoi still, however, occupy a very im- portant place through the Mesozoic ages (Fig. 120), and it is only at the close of the Cretaceous that they finally give place to the Teleosts, or common fishes, which, though perhaps more fully specialised in purely ichthyic features, have dropped the reptil
. The chain of life in geological time [microform] : a sketch of the origin and succession of animals and plants. Paleontology; Paleobotany; Paléontologie; Paléobotanique. APPEARANCE OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 131 dominant, or is developed to the exclusion of the others (Figs 118, 119). The Ganoids and Dipnoi still, however, occupy a very im- portant place through the Mesozoic ages (Fig. 120), and it is only at the close of the Cretaceous that they finally give place to the Teleosts, or common fishes, which, though perhaps more fully specialised in purely ichthyic features, have dropped the reptilian characteristics of their predecessors (Fig. 121). It is interesting to observe that these old-fashioned fishes had culminated before the advent of air-breathing Vertebrates, which appear for the first time in the Carboniferous, li is further to be observed that groups of fishes furnished wit'.i means of aiding their gills by rudimentary lungs were especially suited to waters more charged with carbonic acid, and less with free oxygen, than those of more recent times. This remark especially applies to the mephitic and sluggish streams aid lagoons of the Carboniferous swamps, m the midst of a rank Vege- 118.—Teeth of Cretaceous Sharks , , . iptodits Ftyc/wdus).—After Leidy. tation and reeking masses of decaying organic matter, the half air-breathing fishes and tie amphibious reptilian animals met vith each other and found equally congenial abodes. Thus, independently of the fact that some of these fishes were probably vegetable feeders, it is not altogether an accident, but .a wise adaptation, that caused the culmination of the reptilian fishes and batrachian reptiles to coincide with the enormous development of the lower forms. 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 original Dawson
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectpaleontology, bookyea
