126 ‘Scientific Intelligence. 
planation of the anomaly by inquiring into the geological history of the 
area in question. In this particular instance there is every reason to 
believe that the ravine mentioned is of very late date compared with 
the epoch of diffusion of the British fauna. z: 
_ When we trace the horizontal distribution of creatures in the British 
seas, we find that though our area must be mainly or almost entirely 
whith 
find an assemblage of creatures which do not strictly belong to that 
province, but are identical with similar isolated assemblages per 
west coast of Scotland. In the west of Ireland we find a district 
prevail within our area, for an explanation of which we must g° back 
a higher temperature. A curious fact respecting the 
of the Arctic seas of Europe, viz., that the littoral and 
an outlier of the Celtic fauna preserved in the bays of Asturias, whe"? 
it was discovered in 1849 by Mr. Mac Andrew; a very remarkable fach 
