GEOLOGY. 325 



from expressing any opinion; but he wished to caution them against com- 

 ing to conclusions as to the antiquity of these remains which were not really 

 warranted. He proceeded to show, from the remains of tigers, elephants, 

 and other animals found in this country, in Siberia, and other parts of the 

 world, where the climate was much colder than was supposed to be compat- 

 ible with their existence, that there was undoubted evidence that these ani- 

 mals could adapt themselves to cold and temperate climates as well as to 

 torrid ones, and remarked, that the conditions of animal life Avere not those 

 of climate, but of food and quiet. Wherever there was the prey undisturbed 

 by man, there also would be the destroyer. They had evidence from the 

 writings of Julius Caesar of the existence in England, 2,000 years ago, of 

 three distinct species of animals, including two gigantic species of ox, and 

 one of the reindeer, and he was himself satisfied that they had once had a 

 native British lion, all of which, however, were now extinct in this country; 

 and he saw nothing in the remains which had been discovered at Brixham 

 to lead him to suppose that the animals lived before the historic period, or 

 which was inconsistent with the concurrent existence of a rude race of bar- 

 barians. At the same time he was open to conviction, and should be very 

 glad to see a good fossil human being, which should prove that man had 

 been much longer upon the earth than historical evidence had led them to 

 suppose. 



Professor Owen, with reference to this part of the subject, said that some 

 time ago he was sent for to the North, to examine a fossilized tree, which 

 had been found in digging the Jarrow dock, which bore undoubted evidence 

 of having been cut by human hands. It was supposed to be a most impor- 

 tant discovery, as showing the antiquity of the human race, and at first 

 everything appeared satisfactory. On prosecuting his inquiries, however, he 

 learned that one of the navvies, not then on the works, was said to have dis- 

 covered a similar tree in another part of the dock, which he cut to lay down 

 a sleeper. The man was sent for, and on his arrival he declared that the 

 tree pointed out was the one he had cut. It was endeavored to be explained 

 that that was impossible, as the place had not been excavated before; but, 

 looking with supreme contempt upon the assembly of geologists and engi- 

 neers, the man persisted in the identification of his own work, and exclaimed, 

 " the top of the tree must be somewhere," upon which he (Professor Owen) 

 offered half-a-crown to the first navvy who would produce it. Away ran 

 half a dozen of them, and in a few minutes they returned with the top. 

 This explained the mystery. The man had cut off the top with his 

 spade, the stump afterwards got covered up with silt, and on being again 

 uncovered it was supposed to be a great discovery. Never had he so narrow 

 an escape from introducing a " new discovery " into science, and never had 

 he a more fortunate escape. 



Mr. Teale brought to the notice of the same section fine specimens of ele- 

 phant and hippopotamus bones from the clays of Aire Valley. Glacial clays 

 he considers them, resting on the upturned edges of the coal measures. The 

 lowest is blue clay deposited by glacial waters in an era of submergence ; on 

 it a yellow clay also deposited by ice, but in an era of emergence. On this 

 again a " warp," with angular and also rolled stones, the debris of the blue 

 and yellow clays and gravel from distant hills, subsequent to the glacial p 

 in England, and containing the animal remains. 



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