64 WHY MARINE REMAINS ARE ABSENT 



supposing that the submergence did not extend to 

 Egypt. On this point, however, I would speak with 

 all reserve. 



8. CONCLUDING EEMARKS. 



A preliminary objection to a submergence of the 

 character described in the foregoing pages, that will 

 no doubt occur to many, must not be passed over in 

 silence. I allude to the entire absence of marine 

 remains in the different phases of the Rubble-drift 

 over the area supposed to have been submerged. In 

 reply it has to be observed that for marine remains 

 to have been located on the submerged land, certain 

 conditions would be indispensable. In the absence 

 of those conditions, we could not expect to meet with 

 such remains. ' It is not to be assumed, because the 

 waters of the sea have for a time covered the land, 

 that marine remains should be found there. If the 

 submergence were slow, the advance of the waters 

 would not have force sufficient to carry before them 

 any of the objects on the shore ; or, if any living 

 object were so floated, the turbidity and deoxidised 

 state of the waters resulting from the uprooting of 

 the surface soil with its vegetable matter would be 

 fatal to animal life, and their remains, if any, would 

 decay on the surface and be lost. 



But it may be asked, why after the submergence, 

 and before the return upward movement, should not 

 the fauna from adjacent undisturbed areas have 



