The Prehistoric World; Or, Vanished RacesAllen, Emory Adams
History
The Prehistoric World; Or, Vanished Races
Allen, Emory Adams
Archaeology; Indians; Prehistoric peoples
We can not give a list of all the species. On the one hand, there
were elms, willows, poplars, oaks, and beeches, thus far similar
to the forest growth of temperate regions. Mingled with these
were forests of trees like the tulip-tree, swamp cypress, and
liquid amber or sweet gum of the southern part of the United
States—plants whose home is in the warm and moist regions of the
earth. But there were also representatives of the tropical
regions—such as fig-trees, cinnamon-trees, and camphor-trees:
these are found growing now in tropical countries. Fruit-trees of
the cherry, plum, and almond species were also to be seen. Prof.
Heer points out how all this should convince us that a large part
of Europe, in the Miocene Age, possessed a climate not unlike
that of the Madeira or Canary Islands to-day. He calls especial
attention to the fact that these trees were nearly all of
evergreen species, and that a severe winter would destroy them.
He finds one hundred and thirty-one species of the Temperate
Zone—species that can stand a moderate amount of cold, but not
very hot and dry climates. He finds eighty-five species of
tropical plants that could not possibly live where the Winters
are severe. Mingled with these were nearly three hundred species
whose natural home is in the warm, temperate portions of the
earth. The only way you can explain this motley assemblage of
trees is, to suppose that in what is now Europe was a climate
free from extremes, allowing the trees to put forth flowers and
fruits all the year round. “Reminding us,” says Prof. Heer, “of
those fortunate zones where Nature never goes to rest.”35
Miocene Mammals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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