6 THE ICE AGE IN CANADA. 



of these researches were published from time to time in 

 the " Canadian Naturalist and Geologist." When, in 1863, 

 Sir William issued his " Geology of Canada," I was much 

 occupied with college work, and felt that the subject was 

 too immature to admit of full treatment, but placed in his 

 hands my notes up to that date to aid in his chapter on 

 " Superficial Geology," in which they were incorporated, 

 though in an imperfect manner. Subsequently, in 1872, 

 I collected all my papers up to that date in a little 

 volume entitled " Notes on the Post-pliocene Geology of 

 Canada," now out of print, though most of its material is 

 to be found in the earlier volumes of the " Canadian 

 Naturalist and Geologist." This work I have made the 

 basis of subsequent publications, adding new material as 

 it occurred, and publishing the whole in the same 

 periodical and its continuation, the " Canadian Eecord of 

 Science." The present work is a new and enlarged edition 

 of these "Notes" of 1872. 



Since my work in this field began, the subject has 

 assumed many new phases. The important studies of the 

 Swiss glaciers, by Forbes, Agassiz and others, attracted 

 the attention of geologists almost to the exclusion of 

 other factors. The bold, I may venture to say extreme, 

 views of my friends, Eamsay and Geikie, have given a 

 tone to the work of English geologists, while a like 

 influence has been exercised in America by Agassiz and 

 Dana. Thus, in later years, what I must regard as 

 extravagant theories of land glaciation have gained an 

 educational and official currency both in England and 

 America. Only recently the pendulum has begun to 

 swing in the other direction, and the extreme theories of 

 glacier action to relax their hold. The time is, therefore, 

 perhaps a favourable one to advocate moderate and 



