OP CREATION. 399 



tiles and land animals of the oolitic period are found; 

 and while in England they occur in all the rocks of 

 that age, they have only been met with in France in 

 the older, and in Germany in the newer rocks of the 

 series. 



It seems also not improbable, that, since in Eng- 

 land and western France the oolitic strata were de- 

 posited on the eastern flanks of the older rocks, but 

 in Germany on the southern, and in eastern Europe 

 on their south-western side, the land may then 

 have extended chiefly to the westward and south- 

 westward, only existing in detached islands towards 

 the north, and not reaching at all into high latitudes. 

 There is not, however, much probability of there 

 having been any great extent of land at this period 

 in the district now occupied by Europe, for this area, 

 during the earlier part of the period, was most likely 

 marked by long-continued, slow depression, favour- 

 able to the formation of extensive and thick fossili- 

 ferous banks, and also admitting of the structure of 

 coral reefs. 



The period of the oolites, wherever those rocks are 

 to be recognised, was one of local depression, but the 

 close of the deposit was undoubtedly marked by ele- 

 vation ; and at that time land existed in and near the 

 south-east of England, and may have formed part of 

 a tolerably large tract. During the time when the 

 remarkable series of Wealden deposits were being 

 formed in fresh water, we are not aware of any cor- 

 responding marine beds in Europe ; and this may 

 have been owing to the existence of a great part of 

 Europe as land during this period. In one small 

 area in Scotland, and in North Germany (Hanover), 



