( ( ( ( ( ( ( plants , ) ( animal bones ) ) , ) rocks ) , ) fossils ) . )
(ROOT (NP (NP (NNS plants)) (, ,) (NP (NN animal) (NNS bones)) (, ,) (NP (NNS rocks)) (, ,) (NP (NNS fossils)) (. .)))
plants, animal bones, rocks, fossils.
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT The) (NN presence)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (DT an) (NN animal) (NN fossil)) (PP (IN in) (NP (DT a) (NN rock)))))) (VP (VBZ gives) (NP (NP (NN evidence)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NN time) (NN period)))) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN animal)) (VP (VBN lived) (PP (IN in))))) (. .)))
The presence of an animal fossil in a rock gives evidence of the time period the animal lived in.