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Life's Dawn on Earth: Being the history of the oldest known fossil remains, and their relations to geological time and to the development of the animal kingdom — John Shaqi

Life's Dawn on Earth: Being the history of the oldest known fossil remains, and their relations to geological time and to the development of the animal kingdomDawson, John William, Sir

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Life's Dawn on Earth: Being the history of the oldest known fossil remains, and their relations to geological time and to the development of the animal kingdom

Name: Life's Dawn on Earth: Being the history of the oldest known fossil remains, and their relations to geological time and to the development of the animal kingdom
Author: Dawson, John William, Sir

Dawson, John William, Sir

Life -- Origin; Paleontology -- Precambrian

The delivery of occasional lectures to popular audiences on this and
kindred subjects, has convinced me that the beginning of life in the
earth is a theme having attractions for all intelligent persons;
while the numerous inquiries on the part of scientific students with
reference to the fossils of the Eozoic age, show that the subject
is yet far from being familiar to their minds. I offer no apology
therefore for attempting to throw into the form of a book accessible
to general readers, what is known as to the dawn of life, and cannot
doubt that the present work will meet with at least as much acceptance
as that in which I recently endeavoured to picture the whole series of
the geological ages.

I have to acknowledge my obligations to Sir W. E. Logan for most
of the Laurentian geology in the second chapter, and also for the
beautiful map which he has kindly had prepared at his own expense as
a contribution to the work. To Dr. Carpenter I am indebted for much
information as to foraminiferal structures, and to Dr. Hunt for the
chemistry of the subject. Mr. Selwyn, Director of the Geological
Survey of Canada, has kindly given me access to the materials in its
collections. Mr. Billings has contributed specimens and illustrations
of Palæozoic Protozoa; and Mr. Weston has aided greatly by the
preparation of slices for the microscope, and of photographs, as well
as by assistance in collecting.

                                                               J. W. D.

  McGill College, Montreal.
      _April, 1875._




CONTENTS.


                                                               PAGE

  Chapter I. Introductory                                         1

  Chapter II. The Laurentian System                               7
    Notes:--Logan on Structure of Laurentian; Hunt
      on Life in the Laurentian; Laurentian Graphite;
      Western Laurentian; Metamorphism                           24

  Chapter III. The History of a Discovery                        35
    Notes:--Logan on Discovery of Eozoon, and on
      Additional Specimens                                       48

  Chapter IV. What is Eozoon?                                    59
    Notes:--Original Description; Note by Dr. Carpenter;
      Specimens from Long Lake; Additional
      Structural Facts                                           76

  Chapter V. Preservation of Eozoon                              93
    Notes:--Hunt on Mineralogy of Eozoon; Silicified
      Fossils in Silurian Limestones; Minerals
      associated with Eozoon; Glauconites                       115

  Chapter VI. Contemporaries and Successors                     127
    Notes:--On Stromatoporidæ; Localities of Eozoon             165

  Chapter VII. Opponents and Objections                         169
    Notes:--Objections and Replies; Hunt on
      Chemical Objections; Reply by Dr. Carpenter               184

  Chapter VIII. The Dawn-Animal as a Teacher in Science         207

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Life's Dawn on Earth: Being the history of the oldest known fossil remains, and their relations to geological time and to the development of the animal kingdom

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