Plate I.
CAPE TRINITY ON THE SAGUENAY.
A CLIFF OF LAURENTIAN GNEISS.
Frontispiece
LIFE’S DAWN ON EARTH:
BEING THE
AND
THEIR RELATIONS TO GEOLOGICAL TIME
AND TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
BY
PRINCIPAL AND VICE-CHANCELLOR OF M’GILL UNIVERSITY, MONTREAL;
AUTHOR OF
“ARCHAIA,” “ACADIAN GEOLOGY,” “THE STORY OF
THE EARTH AND MAN,” ETC.
SECOND THOUSAND.
LONDON:
HODDER & STOUGHTON,
27, PATERNOSTER ROW.
MDCCCLXXV.
Butler & Tanner,
The Selwood Printing Works,
Frome, and London.
SIR WILLIAM EDMOND LOGAN,
LL.D., F.R.S., F.G.S.,
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED,
Not merely as a fitting acknowledgment of his longand successful labours in the geology of those mostancient rocks, first named by him Laurentian, andwhich have afforded the earliest known traces of thebeginning of life, but also as a tribute of sincerepersonal esteem and regard to the memory of onewho, while he attained to the highest eminence as astudent of nature, was also distinguished by hispatriotism and public spirit, by the simplicity andearnestness of his character, and by the warmth ofhis friendships.
An eminent German geologist has characterized thediscovery of fossils in the Laurentian rocks of Canadaas “the opening of a new era in geological science.”Believing this to be no exaggeration, I have felt it tobe a duty incumbent on those who have been theapostles of this new era, to make its significance aswidely known as possible to all who take any interestin scientific subjects, as well as to those naturalistsand geologists who may not have had their attentionturned to this special topic.
The delivery of occasional lectures to popularaudiences on this and kindred subjects, has convincedme that the beginning of life in the earth is a themehaving attractions for all intelligent persons; whilethe numerous inquiries on the part of scientificstudents with