OF CREATION. 



327 



north-western Europe ; the climate there may have 

 become ameliorated, while at the same time consi- 

 derable tracts, which had long existed as dry land, 

 were gradually covered up by water. 



It was probably after this last depression, succeed- 

 ing the period of deposition of the gravel, and it- 

 self accompanied by undulation of the surface admit- 

 ting of many superficial deposits in certain districts, 

 that the final separation of our own islands, and the 

 destruction of many species of animals which had 

 before been their chief inhabitants, took place. Pos- 

 sibly, also, the land may then have sunk some two 

 or three hundred feet, or even more, below the 

 present level, so that there remained only the higher 

 grounds on which the smaller animals were enabled 

 to live, while the larger ones died out. Another 

 movement of elevation then occurred, once more 

 bringing large tracts of land above the surface, es- 

 pecially along the north-western extremity of Europe 

 and the neighbouring British Islands, and by this were 

 formed the numerous raised beaches of the south and 

 west coast of England. It was not till this late modi- 

 fication of the surface, that the courses of the rivers, 

 the general contour of the land, the general relations of 

 land and sea, the climate, and the general fauna and 

 flora distinctly assumed their present character; nor 

 was it, perhaps, till long after this time, that, on the 

 introduction of man,* new changes and modifications 

 took place, and new races were introduced, not, in- 

 deed, naturally indigenous, but otherwise well adapt- 



* There is, however, some evidence tending to prove that man was an 

 inhabitant of our own island even so long ago as the cavern bear and 

 hyaena. 



