Evolution; its nature, its evidences, and its relation to religious thought (1896) (14740651366)

Identifier: evolutionitsnatu01leco (find matches)
Title: Evolution; its nature, its evidences, and its relation to religious thought
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: LeConte, Joseph, 1823-1901
Subjects: Evolution (Biology) Religion
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: Brigham Young University-Idaho, David O. McKay Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University-Idaho



Text Appearing Before Image:
d four serviceable toes in front, with an ad-ditional fifth palm-bone (splint), and perhaps a rudi-mentary fifth toe like a dew-claw. This was in earlyEocene times. Then, m later Eocene, came the orohip-pus, which differs from, the last chiefly in the disappear-ance of the rudimentary fifth toe and splint, (See Fig.25.) Next, in the Miocene, came the mesohippus andmiohippus. These were larger animals (about the size ofa sheep), and had three serviceable toes all around; butin the former the rudiment of a fourth splint in the fore-limb yet remained. Then, in the Miocene, came the pro-tohippus and pliohippus. These were still larger ani-mals, being about the size of an ass. In the former the twoside-toes were shortening up and the middle toe becom-ing larger. In the latter the two side-toes have become Equus: Qua-ternary -UldRecent. Pliohippus: Pliocene. Protohippus :Lower Plio-cene. Miohippus:Miocene. Mesohippus:Lower Mio-cene. OrohippusEocene. PBOOFS FROM HOMOLOGIES. L27 a b c d e f V
Text Appearing After Image:
Fig 25.—Diagram illustrating gradual changes in the horse familyThroughout a is fore-foot; 6, hind-foot; c, fore-arm ; d, shank;«,molar ™ side-view; /and ^grinding surface of uppcx and lowermolars (after Marshj. 128 EVIDENCES OF THE TRUTH OF EVOLUTION splints. Lastly, only in the Quaternary comes the genusEquus, or true horse. The size of the animal is becomegreater, the middle toe stronger, the side-splints smaller ;but in the side-splints of the modern horse we have stillremaining the evidence of its three-toed ancestor. Similar gradual changes may be traced in the twoleg-bones, which have gradually consolidated into one;in the teeth, which have become progressively longer andmore complex in structure, and therefore a better grind-er ; in the position of the heel and wrist, which havebecome higher above-ground ; in the general form, whichhas become more graceful and agile ; and, lastly, in thebrain, which has become progressively larger and morecomplex in its convolutions—to