Temperature of the Atmosphere, 245 



southern basset. The rush of these waters was in the direction 

 of the river, the course of which is east. The mouths of the 

 transverse valleys are deflected by the current. This flood, 

 it appears to me, took its direction from the Weald to the 

 east; and we consequently find the remains of the chalk and 

 plastic clay distributed far in that direction, spreading over 

 Essex and Suffolk, and into the North Sea. The order in which 

 the ruins lie are, first, from the basset for from four to six 

 miles over the slopes, in the bottoms of the vales, transverse 

 valleys, and river valleys, we find displaced flints, stiff red clay, 

 and sands; secondly, great accumulations of flint, pebbles, 

 sand, and some rolled chalk, lying in cavities and on the sur- 

 faces of the plastic and London clays ; lastly, sand, pebbles, and 

 rounded chalk and clay. In these diluvial beds many remains of 

 the larger animals, such as those of which the fi^gments 1 have 

 above described are portions, are buried, with several others. 



The cause of the phenomena I have noticed above, I believe 

 to be the samew^hich effected the Weald denudation; namely, 

 a power acting from the central regions of the globe towards 

 its circumference, elevating the strata, and in the focus of its 

 action not only raising but shattering and loosening them ; 

 thus rendering them a prey to the flood occasioned by the 

 convulsion. 



It would be beyond the limit of a notice of this kind, to enter 

 fully into the discussion of the connection of the chalk of Kent 

 with that of Sussex ; but that they were originally connected 

 I have no doubt, nor that that connection covered what we 

 now call the Wealds of Kent and Sussex. 



Art. XIII. On the Temperature of the Atmosphere on different 

 Parts of the Earth's Surface, By Mr. W. H. White, H.M.C.S. 



Man, the rational inhabitant of the earth, does not depend 

 alone upon the extent, soil, and position of any portion of the 

 earth's surface for his comforts, but also upon its climate or 

 temperature. The atmosphere is composed of a thin fluid 

 mass of matter, which gravitates towards the earth, and re- 

 volves with it both in its diurnal and annual motions ; a know- 

 ledge of which serves to throw much light on the history and 

 functions both of the animal and vegetable creation, for it is 

 through this great medium that heat, light, electricity, oxygen, 

 and the great springs of vital phenomena are conveyed to 



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