302 Dr Ch. Martins on the Marks of Glacial Action 



ful marine currents, had rounded and striated the rocks in 

 situ, had striated the boulders and pebbles, and transported 

 the blocks ; the latter admitted the direct action of the glaciers 

 which, at an early period, had pervaded Scotland, as they now 

 cover Spitzbergen and the northern parts of Baffin's Bay. The 

 old hypothesis which accounted for the phenomena from the 

 agency of mighty currents found no supporters. It is true 

 that in Scotland it would be still less defensible than in the 

 Alps, or the Vosges, since the lower aqueous diluvium of 

 the glacier regions is there altogether wanting. 



The discussion of the two hypotheses, that of glaciers, or 

 of floating ice, will be the easier, as I have only to repeat 

 the admirable arguments adduced in favour of each, by the 

 president, and by the various intelligent members of the 

 Geological Section who joined in the animated discussion. 

 The circumstance of my having twice visited the western 

 coasts of Spitzbergen enables me to produce some additional 

 arguments to those which were so ably brought forward. 



I may at once premise, and with the greatest satisfaction, 

 that the ancient existence of glaciers in the mountains of 

 Scotland was implicitly admitted by both parties, and, in 

 fact, if floating icebergs have striated the rocks in the 

 neighbourhood of Edinburgh, these icebergs proceeded from 

 glaciers, and these glaciers existed in mountains situated to 

 the north in Scotland : for the transported blocks did not 

 come from Scandinavia, nor from Iceland, nor from Green- 

 land, they were all aboriginal, autochthones. To attribute 

 another origin than that of glaciers to floating icebergs, 

 charged with blocks, would be to contradict all the facts 

 witnessed by the navigators who have traversed the glacial 

 seas of both the poles. But, to admit of glaciers in the 

 mountains of Scotland, is to admit the glacial period, and 

 the ancient extension of glaciers in Scandinavia and Switzer- 

 land, in the Vosges and the Pyrenees. Hence we may 

 venture to state that the Geological Section of the British 

 Association has given its judgment in favour of the idea 

 which the genius of Playfair had conceived, and which has 

 since been brought out by the labours of Messrs Venetz, 

 Charpentier, Agassiz, and Forbes. The question, then, which 



