478 QUATERNARY. 



exist under diverse climatal conditions : but while the Hippo- 

 potamus and the Musk Sheep, for instance, are found in the same 

 deposits, their remains may have been entombed at different 

 times and reassorted by river-action, or on the other hand the 

 rivers may have commingled the remains of animals that occupied 

 distinct areas. (See sequel.) ^ The Mollusca are all of existing 

 species, although the Corbicula i^Cyrena) fliuninalis is now extinct in 

 Europe (Sicily excepted), and Unio littoralis is no longer living in 

 Britain. 



The Recent period, so named by Lyell in 1839, includes 

 Terrestrial, Alluvial, Estuarine, and Marine deposits of Modern 

 Age, that contain relics of Neolithic Man, as well as relics of 

 subsequent periods up to the present day.^ 



The Recent deposits are characterized by the presence of 

 domestic as well as wild animals, including the Celtic short-horn 

 Bos longiffons, the Goat {Capra hircus), the Sheep {Ozns aries). 

 Dog {Cams familmfis), etc.; and they contain also the IMoose 

 {Cennis alces), Shrew {Sorex 7'u/gans), Yo\e [Arvicola amphibius^, and 

 other species previously mentioned as survivors from Pleistocene 

 times.^ The Mollusca are all living British species.* 



From the occurrence of works of Man in Pleistocene deposits, 

 the investigations of the Geologist are now merged with those of 

 the Archaeologist, and it becomes necessary to indicate the divisions 

 of time marked out by the researches into the Antiquity of Man. 



In speaking of the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron 

 Age, Archaeologists indicate phases in the civilization of Western 

 Europe. Thus the implements and weapons of Stone have been 

 shown to have preceded those of Bronze, which again are types of 

 an earlier stage than those of Iron. 



The Stone age is characterized by works made chiefly of flint, 

 but also of chert, quartzite, felstone, etc., and these indicate two 

 periods termed the Neolithic or Newer Stone, and the Palceolithic 

 or Older Stone period. The implements of the newer type are 

 generally well-shaped and finely-chipped or polished ; those of the 

 Paleolithic type are more rudely chipped ; the latter are sometimes 

 formed from flint obtained directly from the Chalk, at others from 

 gravel-flints, pebbles of quartzite, etc. There is in this country no 

 transition or connecting link between the Palaeolithic and Neolithic 



1 See J. Geikie, Great Ice Age, ed. 2. p. 508. 



* The term Post-Glacial (used by John Philhps in 1853) is sometimes employed 

 for deposits posterior in age to the principal Glacial beds, and anterior to the 

 Modern Alluvium, etc. In that respect it is a vague and ill-defined term, for 

 strictly speaking it is synonymous with Recent ; but it is sometimes used more or 

 less locally for beds newer than the Glacial Drift of the district. The term Modern 

 was used by De la Beche for deposits now in progress. 



3 W. B. Dawkins, Q. J. xxv. 194, xxviii. 410, xxxvi. 398, 401, and Early Man 

 in Britain, 1880 ; Dawkins and W. A. Sanford, Pleistocene Mammalia (Palreonto- 

 graph. Soc.) ; A. L. Adams, Fossil Elephants (Ibid.). 



* See Edward Forbes on the Connexion between the Distribution of the existing 

 Fauna and Flora of the British Isles, and the Geological Changes, etc., Mem. 

 Geol. Survey, i. 336 ; Rev. J. Crombie, Alpine flora of Great Britain, Geol. 

 Assoc, (separately printed). 



