Outlines of Creation

Part 1

OUTLINES

CREATION.

ELISHA NOYCE.

AUTHOR OF

"THE BOY'S BOOK OF INDUSTRIAL INFORMATION."

ILLUSTRATED WITH

FOUR HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS,

THE BROTHERS DALZIEL.

LONDON: WARD & LOCK, 158, FLEET STREET. 1858.

(The right of Translation is reserved.)

Dalziel, Brothers, Camden Press, London.

CONTENTS.

THE SKY.

PAGE

Sky, definition of 1

Stars, what they are 1

Sun, probable planets of 2

Nebulæ 2

Solar system 3

Planets, list of 3

Sun, the source of light 3

" size, diameter, &c. 3

" spots on 3

" compared with size of planets 4

Orbits, elliptical 5

Ellipse, definition of 5

Earth's orbit, form of 6

Mercury 6

Part 2

Venus 7

Planets, inferior and superior 7

" conjunction and opposition of 8

The Earth 8

" form of, demonstrated 9

" diurnal motion of 10

" rate of motion of 10

Equinoxes and solstices 12

The Moon 12

" phases of 13

Mars 14

Jupiter 16

" satellites of 18

Saturn 18

" rings of 19

Uranus 21

Neptune 22

The planetoids 22

" supposed origin of 23

The stellar system 24

Stars, number of 24

The Milky Way 24

Nebulæ 24

Constellations 25

Stars, double 26

" variable 27

Comets 27

THE AIR.

Part 3

Air, how perceived 29

" composition of 29

" weight of 30

Barometer, principle of 30

Winds, course of 31

Vapour, condensation of 31

Snow, hail, and frost 32

" red and green 32

Air, temperature of 32

Dew, cause of 33

" artificial formation of 34

Clouds and fogs 35

Lightning 36

" conductors 37

Thunder-storms 38

Rainbow 39

Air, the source of nourishment 40

" carbonic acid of 41

" the source of coal 41

THE EARTH.

Elements, list of 45

Earths, list of 46

Silica 46

Alumina, Lime, Potassa 47

Soda 48

The Earth, surface of 49

Strata 49

" diagram of 50

Part 4

" various positions of 51

Faults or dykes 52

Granite 53

Gneiss 54

Strata, primary 54

Earth, primary period of 55

Stalagmites, formation of 58

Terebratula 58

Secondary system 59

Trilobites 59

Mountains, formation of 61

Earth, section of part of 62

Volcanoes, formation of 62

Coral polypi 64

Encrinites 65

Mountain limestone 65

Basalt 66

Tree-ferns, Pines, &c. 66

Air, purification of 67

Coal, formation of 67

" consumption of 68

Coal shales, ferns found in 69

Earth's surface, alterations of 69

Labyrinthodon 70

Red Sandstone, impressions in 70

Saliferous system 71

Lias and oolite 71

Ammonites and pentacrinites 72

Part 5

Cretaceous system (chalk) 72

Ichthyosaurus and plesiosaurus 73

Coprolites 74

Chalk, organic remains in 75

" flints of 76

Strata, tertiary 78

Alluvium and diluvium 78

" quadrupeds of 78

Dinotherium 79

Mammoth, &c. 80

Irish elk, paleotherium 81

Boulder formation 82

Fossil leaves 83

Man, as yet unformed 83

" his remains only in upper strata 83

Sculptures from Nineveh 84

Earth's surface, always changing 84

" as it is 86

Earth, temperature of 86

Europe 87

Asia and Africa 88

America 88

Australia 89

The Great Desert 89

Oceans 90

THE WATERS.

The waters 91

Sea-weeds, &c. 92

Part 6

The horizon 93

The cliffs 93

The waters, their divisions 93

The sea, always the same level 94

" waters poured into it 94

Rain, how produced 95

Rivers and streams 96

" causes of their overflowing 97

Lakes 97

Chalk downs, &c., once a sea bottom 98

Sea, its encroachments 98

" waves of 99

" Sargasso 101

Gulf stream 101

Sand, formation of 102

" none in deep seas 102

Diatomaceæ 103

Foraminiferæ 104

Salt, the source of 104

Sea-water, composition of 105

Tides 105

Waters, beneficially arranged 107

Steam navigation 108

Introduction to organic kingdoms 110

THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM.

Quantity, distribution, &c. 112

Forests of Russia and America 113

Sargasso sea, sea-weed 114

Part 7

Diatomaceæ 114

Fungi, mould, mildew, &c. 116

Coral reef, fertilisation of 118

Vegetables, composition of 118

" feed on the air 119

" the food of animals 119

" mode of growth 120

" action of light and heat on 121

Seeds, germination of 122

Growth, promoted by rain 123

Endosmose, experiment on 123

Carbonic acid decomposed by

plants 124

Sap, course of 124

Vegetables, position they hold 125

" compared with radiata 126

" description of parts of 127

Leaves, forms of 130

Corolla, forms of 132

Stamens, arrangement of 133

Fruit, forms of 134

Inflorescence, forms of 136

Vegetable kingdom, divisions of 139

Acrogenæ 141 Algæ 141 Fungi 143 Lichens, ferns 144 Liverworts 145 Mosses, various 146 Horsetails 147

Endogenæ 147

Bamboo, applications of 152

Endogenæ, orders of 154 Grasses 154 Sedges, Arums 155 Bull-rush, Colchicum 156 Lily, Narcissus 157 Crocus, Orchids 158 Naiads, Flowering rushes 159 Water Plantain 160

Exogens 160

Part 8

" wood of 161

" age of 162

Baobab 163

Woods, various kinds of 165

Galls, formation of 167

Wood, uses of 167

Exogens, size of 168

Wellingtonia Gigantea 168

Banyan 170

Exogens, sub-classes of 170

Thalamifloræ, orders of 171 White Water Lily 171 Poppies, Monkshood 172 Fumitory, Water-cress 173 Helianthemum, Berberry 174 Violet, Sun-dew 175 Milkwort, Bachelor's Buttons 176 Lime Tree, St. John's Wort 177 Marsh Mallow, Meadow Geranium 178 Flax, Maple Tree 179 Rue, Wood Sorrel 180

Calycifloræ, orders of 181 Spindle Tree, Buckthorn 181 Broom, Garden Pea 182 Pear Tree, Rose, Strawberry, Loose Strife 183 French Willow, Myrtle 184 House-leek, Gooseberry 185 London Pride, Fennel, Hemlock 186

Corollifloræ, orders of 187 Melon, Dogwood 187 Honeysuckle, Guelder Rose, Cross Wort 188 Valerian, Red Valerian, Teasel 189 Coltsfoot, Ox-eye Daisy, Harebell 190 Grey Heath, Gentian, Buck-bean 191 Pimpernel, Primrose, Bindweed 192 Borage, Sage 193 Tobacco 194 Speedwell 195 Butterwort, Plantain 196 Thrift, Holly 197

Monochlamydeæ, orders of 197 Ladies' Mantle 197 Beetroot, Buckwheat 198 Oleaster, Spurge Laurel 199 Sweet Chestnut, Box 200 Hop, White Willow 201 Birch, Alder, Elm 202 Larch, Yew, Bay 203

Plants, list of poisonous 204 Monk's-hood, Wolf's-bane 204 Bryony, Green Hellebore, Stinking Hellebore 205 Mezerium, Meadow Saffron 206 Foxglove, Staves-acre 207 Nightshade 208 Hemlock, Thorn Apple 209 Poppies, Henbane 210 Caper, Wild Lettuce 211 Fungi, poisonous 212

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

Animalculæ in water 215

Man, created, not developed 217

Animals, chief division of 217

Animals, invertebrate 217

Infusoria 218

Protozoa 218

Infusoria, higher kinds of 220

Entozoa (intestinal worms) 221

Zoophytes (Sertularia, &c.) 221

Sponge 222

Gorgonia 222

Actinia 223

Part 9

Corals (Tubipora musica, &c.) 224

Flustra (Sea mats) 225

Echinodermata (Star-fishes, &c.) 225

Sea urchins, &c. 226

Articulata 227

Annellata (Worms, &c.) 227

Cirripeda (Sea acorns) 228

Crustacea 229

Insects 231

" metamorphoses of 231

" parts of 232

" depredations by 234

" orders of 236 Beetles 236 Grasshoppers, Locusts, &c. 237 Dragon-flies, May-flies, &c. 238 Bees, Wasps, &c. 240 Ants, habitations of 240 White Ants 245 Stylops 247 Butterflies, Moths, &c. 248 Silkworm 249 Bugs, Aphides, &c. 250 House-fly, Gnat, &c. 250 Flea, Chigoe 251 Spiders and Scorpions 252

Mollusca 252 Nautilus, mussel, &c. 255 Tunicated molluscs 255 Lingula, Terebratula, &c. 256 Oyster, cockle, scallop, &c. 256 Clio borealis 257 Snail, slug, whelk, &c. 257 Cuttle-fish, nautilus, &c. 258

Vertebrata 259

Fishes, description of 259

Fishes, divisions of 260 Perch, Mackerel, Gurnard, &c. 261 Salmon, Pilchard, Pike, &c. 262 Turbot, Plaice, Soles, &c. 265 Eels 266 Pipe-fish, Sea Horse 267 Sea Porcupine, Sun-fish 268 Sturgeons, Sharks 269 Lamprey 270

Reptiles 271 Frogs and Toads 271 Snakes 272 Lizards, Crocodiles, &c. 274 Turtles and Tortoises 276

Birds 279

" divisions of 280 Eagles, Falcons, &c. 281 King-fisher, Woodpecker, &c. 281 Poultry, Pheasants, &c. 282 Herons, Cranes, &c. 284 Swans, Geese, &c. 285

Mammalia, orders of 286 Kangaroo, Opossum, &c. 287 Duckbill 288 Rat, Beaver, Hare, &c. 289 Anteaters 291 Ox, Deer, &c. 292 Horse, Elephant, Hog, &c. 294 Whale, Narwal, &c. 296 Lion, Tiger, &c. 297 Dogs, Wolves and Jackalls 302 Bears 302 Seals and Walrus 303 Mole, Hedgehog, &c. 303 Bats 304 Monkeys 305 Man 307

Man the only possessor of reason 308

Skeleton, diagram of 309

" parts of 310

Bones, description of 311

Muscles 312

" voluntary and involuntary 313

Ligaments and cartilages 313

Part 10

Form, affected by age and sex 314

" in infancy 315

" in middle age 315

" in old age 316

" affected by sex 316

Senses, special 317

Sight 317

Eye, structure of 319

Eyes, compound 320

Hearing, smell, taste 321

Touch 322

Digestion 322

Respiration 325

Circulation of Blood 326

Man, his superior faculties 327

" varieties of 328 European race 328 Basks 329 Skiptar, Kelts (or Celts), Greeks and Latins, Sarmatians, Germans 330 Abyssinians 331 Mongolians 332 Hottentots 333 Malays 334 Papuans, Negrillo 335 Indians, or Telingans, Ethiopians 336 Australians, Negro 337

Races, numerical table of 338

INTRODUCTION.

The object of this work is to bring before the reader a simple and intelligible description of the whole Creation, without attempting to enter into minute particulars on any of the subjects more than is sufficient to present them in a form clear enough to be both comprehended, and recollected; thus aiming at the production of a taste for such knowledge, and a desire to enter more minutely into any or all of the subjects this work embraces, which desire can easily be gratified by a study of some of the many excellent works devoted exclusively to the individual parts, which in this work are treated of collectively. The want of a general knowledge of those works of the Great Creator which are constantly spread out before us, in these days of easy acquirement, amounts almost to a sin, for it is by the study of Nature in all her varied forms and associations, that we learn to "look from Nature up to Nature's God;" for who can look upon the works of God without a feeling of awe and admiration? who can look upwards at "the spacious firmament on high," without a sense of his own insignificance? who can gaze around upon the beauty and variety the earth displays, without a strong desire to know more of such a Great Creator's works?--and he who knows the most, be sure it is he who will worship Him with the truest and most heartfelt gratitude and admiration. The works of God (next to the Divine revelation of His will) are the highest studies to which Man can apply his intellect; it has required the greatest study of the greatest minds to find out and record but a few facts to add to the general store, and surely no one should consider his time misspent who can read over such records, and trace their truth by comparison with Nature, the more especially as it is by these means a love of inquiry is engendered, and that ultimately he may be enabled by diligent perusal of the great Book of Nature, to add his quota to the store of knowledge already formed and recorded.

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