1823.] of Alluvial and Diluvial Formations. 253 



Still less are the conclusions shaken by the hypothesis, that the 

 ^ eapons of the hunter completed the extinction of many species 

 of animals, of whose former existence we have no knowledge 

 except through their bones, which are buried m the beds of old 

 Safcovering. From the only physical evidence which we 

 can have on such a subject, we believe that not a single hunter 

 had ev er trodden m the woods of Europe at the^ime when the 

 mammoth, the rhinoceros, and the hyaena were its inhabitants 

 And the records of Europe afford no proof that such beasts ever 

 iXbited this part of the world in times wittiin the reach of 

 history Aoain, we know by direct evidence which is inde- 

 penSt of W ^oologi^'^l details and of any history, that the 

 Siluvial o-ravel IS of great antiquity; and we know from hi.tory 

 fhatm ancient times'large tracts of Europe existed ^ the form 

 of unreclaimed marsh or almost impenetrable forest Under 

 Lch circumstances, are we to believe that a set of inhabitants, 

 avagraCo t nak^d, and few in number, .should have waged a 

 ^ar If extermination with large and f-->dable beasts like the 



rhinoceros, the cavern-bear, and '^'^^'y^^'^l^^l^^' ^^^if^^v 

 which attributes the extinction of such animals to the agency 

 of hunters in the early ages of the world is at once gratuitous 



^"M"hfg'en;ral result of all the P-ceding details, we may 

 conclude that the separation of the superficial debr s of the 

 Tth intofwo classes^.^/«./«/and po.^^.7«r.«^ 

 by difterent causes, and during distinct epochs ^^ ^^mpl^tely 

 Zde out ; first, by the direct evidence of natural ^ec^ion^ P ov 

 in- one formation superior to the other ; secondly, by ^he distinct 

 ■ suTtes of organic remains imbedded in the two deposits. The 

 ower fornition containing many orgamc remains whicWe 

 never found in the upper; and the upper also contaimng many 

 " hich are not found in the lower. In these J^spects, perhaps no 

 two contiguous formaLions in the crust of the earth are sepa- 

 rated iVom each other by more clear and decisive characters. 



Sect. 5.-0» the Causes of Diluvial and Alluvial Phenomena. 

 The conclusions which I have attempted to vindicate m the 

 preceding sections, however interesting in themselves give us 

 but scanty means of speculating on the «^"f ^, ^f ^^'^, ^f/^ P'^s 

 duced the dUuv.al deposits. It may be asked ^^Y ^^^^^^^^".^^^^ 

 were the diluviun torrents first put in motion ''^J^h^^ d f ^^'"" 

 did thev sweep over the earth >. On what part o the ea t s sur- 

 face have they acted t Did they operate almost simultaneouly 

 over all parts of the world, or did they act ^Vr'^'^'nlVe Plobe 

 in- a long period of time .' W hat was the condition ol the globe 

 piTor to tl.eir action, and what are the mod.hcat.ons in its 

 ixternal character produced by them? To smne ot these ques- 

 tions, no answer can be given, and to none of them can we gn e 



