The Titanotheres of Ancient Wyoming, Dakota, and Nebraska, Vol. 1 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Titanotheres of Ancient Wyoming, Dakota, and Nebraska, Vol. 1Vertebrate paleontology in the national surveys Preparation of the present monograph Work by the author, 1878 - 1919 Research and collaboration Cooperation of museums Work on text and illustrations Summary of geologic and anatomic principles chapter I. Introduction to mammalian paleontology Section 1. Exploration and research made in the preparation of this monograph Section 2. Preliminary survey of the monograph and the conclusions presented Range of the titanotheres in geologic time Hayden's subdivisions of the Eocene and the Oligocene Discovery of the titanotheres of the plains Discovery of the mountain-basin environment of the titanotheres Discovery and delimitation of periods of sedimentation and of life zones Principle oi local and continental adaptive radiation Comparison of the four life phases of Europe and North America during Eocene and early Oligocene time Old and new systems of classification Old terminology retained Linnaean methods of defining species, genera, and phyla of titanotheres Recognition of many lines of descent; polyphyly the key to interpretation of the family Relation of the phylogenetic classification to the Linnaean classification Comparison between zoologic and paleontologic species_ Proportions of the skull in bears and in titanotheres_ Features distinguishing phyla of titanotheres Mutations of Waagen Zoologic and paleontologic nomenclature Summary of differences between old and new systems Study of the evolution of single characters Phylogeny of the nine typical families of the Perissodactyla_ Wide geographic distribution of the Perissodactyla_ Causes of evolution Adaptive evolution and overevolution of the form of skull, tooth, and foot Phyletic divergence in the evolution of new proportions in horses and in titanotheres Evolution of the limbs and feet of the titanotheres Origin of new characters as distinguished from changes in proportion_ Velocity in the development of characters and in phylogeny Summary of the evolution of the titanotheres Section 3. Bibliography of literature cited or consulted in the preparation of Chapter I chapter II. Environment of the titanotheres and effect of adaptive radiation on their variation Section 1. Geology and geography Correlation of early Tertiary events in the Rocky Mountain region with those in western Europe_ Late Cretaceous'and early Tertiary climates Eocene geography of western North America and its relation to faunal migrations Geographic divisions and their bearing on migration Character of the mountain-basin, plateau, and plains regions Eocene topography in the Rocky Mountain region Contrast in physiographic conditions east and west of the Rocky Mountain Front Range Lateral and main river systems in the mountain-basin region Section 2. Eocene and lower Oligocene formations and faunal zones_ First faunal phase (basal Eocene) Seventeen life zones r Basal Eocene time in Montana and New Mexico Summary of faunal events of basal Eocene time Basal Eocene faunal zones Zones 1 and 2: Ectoconus and Polymastodon zones (puerco fauna; part of Thanetian of Europe) Zones 3 and 4: Deltatherium and Pantolambda zones (torrejon and Fort Union faunas part of Thanetian of Europe)About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com