5. Mineral, Plant And Animal Creation

Among animals of this kind was one which at that time looked more or less like this (diagram): it had a very large eye-like organ surrounded by a sort of aura; adjoining this organ a kind of snout protruded further forwards; the body was lizard-like, with powerful fins. Such structures were already more solid in themselves. It would be equally correct to speak either of wings or fins in the case of these animals for they were not marine creatures—there was as yet no sea. There was only the soft Earth and the still soft elements in the surrounding atmosphere from which only the sulphur had been partially separated. In this atmosphere such animals flew or swam—it was something between flying and swimming.