named Behemoth in the Scriptures. 319 



first creation, the same was probably the period of behemoth's 

 creation ; for, speaking to man of behemoth, he says, " Be- 

 hemoth was created with thee." Now, the iguanodon, we find 

 from geologists, was first created about the time of the date 

 of the cretaceous formations, and that at the same period the 

 earth had become fit for man's existence. I have shown that 

 at that period it is probable man was formed ; and it is certain 

 that the iguanodon was then ; so, then, do not these words, 

 " Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee," strengthen 

 the idea of the identity of the behemoth and iguanodon ? 



But it will be said that these animals, the megalosaurus 

 and iguanodon, have only been found in a fossil state : how, 

 then, is it probable they would be found existent contempora- 

 neously with Job ? This deserves our attention. First, then, 

 I observe that the period of Job's existence is not certain ; 

 but most biblical critics think that he lived long prior to 

 Moses : possibly, even, before the flood. Now, from Mantell's 

 observations in his Geology of the South-east Coast of England, 

 it seems perfectly clear that the Wealden stratum was the bed 

 of an estuary, or mouth of a large freshwater river ; and, 

 from the land deposits washed down into it, and from its own 

 productions, it is certain that at that period this country then 

 enjoyed a temperature very much higher than is known in 

 these latitudes at the present day. The fossil remains of 

 elephants, lions, tigers, rhinoceroses, &c, found in England in 

 the strata above the chalk, show that, for some time afterwards, 

 the climate continued to be the same. How that climate be- 

 came subsequently cooled down to its present temperature, it 

 would be out of place here to enquire; but I think we may 

 safely conclude that that cooling rendered it no longer fit for 

 the residence of those intertropical animals which we are 

 certain once inhabited it, most probably by destroying those 

 vegetable productions upon which the herbivorous animals 

 then in this country chiefly subsisted ; which animals furnished 

 in their turn food for the carnivorous ones of that day. 



There is, however, great reason to believe that such cool- 

 ing down of the temperature of this climate was not a sudden 

 catastrophe, but, at least, so gradual, that many animals re- 

 treated southward, where, from the superior warmth of climate, 

 they still found food suited to them. In this way, it would be 

 fair to presume that iguanodons and megalosauri would be 

 able to exist in Syria, Egypt, &c, long after the climate of 

 England was unfitted for them, and would gradually retreat 

 southwards as the northern climates grew too cool for them. 

 There is reason to believe that even the intertropical climates 

 now are cooler than the climate of England was during the 

 iguanodon period. Egypt is still warm enough to be fitted 



