638 STRATIGRAPHICAL GEOLOGY 



but some of those ckssed as Plateau gravels occur within these 

 areas and overlie the higher boulder-clays ; moreover it has been 

 proved that some of the raised beaches and some of the Cave 

 deposits are of Glacial age. Lastly, the assemblage of mammals 

 found in the older river deposits is the same as that which is 

 regarded as early Pleistocene (see p. 612). 



Again, the older river gravels and the older cavern deposits 

 appear to be of about the same age, and in both the stone weapons 

 of Palaeolithic man are associated with the bones of many extinct 

 animals. In some places it seems possible to distinguish two 

 Palaeolithic horizons or ages, an older of roughly made implements 

 associated with Elephas antiquus, and a newer of more finished 

 weapons for which the name Mesolithic has been proposed. 

 Some authorities recognise a third age, that in which remains of 

 the reindeer are abundant, associated with a special type of flint 

 implements. If the latter is in real succession and not a mere local 

 variation the Pleistocene (non-Glacial), succession may be tabulated 

 as follows : 



4. Neolithic, the age of domesticated animals. 



3.\ -, ,.,, . j"the age of the reindeer (Rangifcr tarandus). 



2. / \ the age of Elephas primigenius and Rhinoceros ticltorhinus, 



1. Palaeolithic, the age of Elephas antiquus. 



In France another scheme of classification is employed, all the 

 rougher implements being called Palaeolithic, but classed according 

 to type and finish in three groups, the Chellean or Acheulian, the 

 Mousterian, and the Magdalenian. Of these the first corresponds 

 with the restricted Palaeolithic in the above table, and the two 

 latter with the Mesolithic. 



Fauna. The mammalian fauna consists first of a number of 

 species which are common to all or most of the phases of the period, 

 and secondly of certain groups of species which are either restricted 

 to one epoch or phase, or are much more abundant in the deposits 

 of that phase. Again, many of the Pleistocene animals are 

 survivals of the later Pliocene fauna, and of these some became 

 extinct before Neolithic time, and some still continue to exist 

 either in Europe or Asia. 



The oldest assemblage (Palaeolithic) includes Elephas antiquus, 

 Rhinoceros mercki, Eh. leptorhinus, Hippopotamus major, Ursus 

 spelceus, Machcerodus latidens, and Trogontherium Cuvieri. 



The Mesolithic implements are associated with Elephas primi- 

 genius, Rhinoceros tichorhinus, Cervus giganteus ( = megaceros), C. 

 elaphus, Felis spelcea, Ganis lagopus (Arctic fox), Equus caballus, 

 Saiga tartarica (an antelope), Arctomys marmota (the Marmot), and 

 .species of Spermophilus. 



