IV PREFACE. 



point of view of the Geologist and Naturalist, and to 

 that principle of referring to modern causes for the 

 explanation of ancient effects, which is the basis of 

 theoretical geology, the principal modern facts relied 

 on being those furnished by the aboriginal tribes of 

 America. It cannot pretend to be exhaustive of a 

 department of inquiry yet in its infancy ; but may 

 claim the merit of being suggestive. 



The substance of this work appeared in a series of 

 papers in the Leisure Hour, entitled " The New 

 World and the Old/' but has been considerably ex- 

 tended and in some parts re-written. 



J. W. D. 

 McGiLL COLLEGE, MONTREAL. 



Jan. 1880. 



