SUMMARY. 128 



The Forest-bed Vertebrata generally are temperate forms, but 

 with them are found such northern animals as the Glutton, Musk 

 Ox, Walrus, and Narwhal, as well as such southern genera as 

 Hya3na, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros, Elephant, and Tunny. 



It seems from a consideration of the Pliocene Vertebrata that 

 the climate of England in the earlier part of that period was 

 decidedly warmer than it is at the present day, and approached 

 sub-tropical conditions ; and that, notwithstanding minor varia- 

 tions which may have subsequently taken place, the general ten- 

 dency was to become colder, so that in the Forest-bed times the 

 climate was temperate, with, possibly, periods of greater heat and 

 still greater cold, perhaps partly due to continental conditions, 

 which at length culminated in the Glacial or Pleistocene Epoch. 

 The earliest Pleistocene deposit recognised being the <e Arctic 

 Freshwater Bed " of Norfolk, which is characterized by an assem- 

 blage of Arctic plants, and a Spermophilus, and occurs imme- 

 diately below the Boulder Clay. 



The relations which the English Crags and Forest-bed bear to 

 the Pliocene strata of the continent of Europe are fully treated of 

 by my colleague Mr. Clement Reid in his Survey Memoir on the 

 " Pliocene Deposits of Britain," 1890. 



