234 THE JO URNAL OF GEOLOGY. 



water during a typical stage of the Pleistocene period. Greenland, the 

 Laurentian tract, the Adirondack, the northern Appalachian, and the 

 northern Cordilleran regions are represented as glacial land. A broad 

 tract sweeping around the Laurentian belt covering the Great Lake 

 region and a large portion of the great plains of Canada is represented 

 as submerged beneath an ice-laden sea. So also is a large area embrac- 

 ing Hudson's Bay and the adjacent straits. The Central American 

 region is represented as extensively submerged and the equatorial waters, 

 of the Atlantic are represented as passing through to the Pacific. 



Under the head of causes of glaciation, the author rejects with 

 emphasis the prevalent glacial hypothesis, insisting strongly upon the 

 impossibility of so great an ice sheet reaching to so low a latitude. He 

 quotes extensively from Woeickoff in support of his position. The ter- 

 minal moraines of most American writers he refers to deposition "at 

 the margin of a sea laden with vast fields of floating ice," and thinks 

 that some of the anomalies in their levels are due to differential eleva- 

 tion. He explains the striation (in regions not occupied by glaciers^ 

 under his view) by referring them largely to the action of "pan ice" 

 aided by tides, especially on sinking coasts, and subordinately to ice- 

 berg action proper. His views on this point are well known. The 

 very peculiar climatic conditions of the age are attributed to geograph- 

 ical changes, but the discussion is not carried into detail, and we have 

 been unable to form a definite conception of the supposed method of 

 causation. 



The most valuable chapter, in our judgment, is that which relates 

 to Pleistocene fossils. There is an admirable collection of data in 

 detail, especially from the Lower St. Lawrence region — the richest of 

 American fields in glacial paleontology. In regard to the relations of 

 man to the glacial formations. Sir William Dawson apparently inclines 

 to the interpretations of Professor Holmes. 



At the close of the work complimentary reference is made to How- 

 orth's book, "The Glacial Nightmare," and the similarity of views there 

 expressed to those of the present work approvingly noted. Tactically 

 we think this is an error, since conclusions associated with field experi- 

 ence such as those of Dr. Dawson will be likely to be placed by geolo- 

 gists in quite a different category from the dialectic lucubrations of a 

 mere academic treatment. Support must be scant when "The Glacial 

 Nightmare" is counted in. 



