WWhen strange, glowing spores are released from a fallen meteor, various effects manifest in the nearby animal life (dinosaurs).
W The spores seem to have caused:

          •  ... a quantum leap in the intelligence among all creatures on the small sub-continent they inhabit (The Headlands) --  allowing them to form primitive 
    .........societies,with laws, 'nations,' armies, and poltical intrigues.  
 
          •  ... some species to sprout feathers -- mutating them toward bird-dom.

          •  ... a  long-bodied, weaselly, species of reptile to sprout hair, and take to the trees -- on its way to becomingthrn first  mammals.          

          • ... and PORTENCE (whose egg was no doubt in closer proximity to the meteor) has mutated in an even more extreme, "X-Men-ish" fashion --
             the spores  have bestowed upon her the gift of 'Cosmic Consciousness' -- and the 'power' to see visions of future Llfe on planet Earth.