CHAP. xiT. man's age in relation to present fauna. 289 



If we reflect on the long series of events of the post- 

 j)liocene and recent periods contemplated in this chapter, it 

 will be remarked that the time assigned to the first appear- 

 ance of man, so far as our geological inquiries have yet gone, 

 is extremely modern in relation to the age of the existing 

 fauna and flora, or even to the time when most of the living- 

 species of animals and plants attained their actual geograjjhical 

 distribution. At the same time it will also be seen that if 

 the advent of man in Europe occurred before the close of 

 the second continental period, and antecedently to the se- 

 paration of Ireland from England and of England from the 

 continent, the event would be sufficiently remote to cause the 

 historical period to appear quite insignificant in duration, 

 when compared to the antiquity of the human race. 



