408 G. W. Bulman — Glacial Geology. 



The same writer further describes some of the islands in Glacier 

 Bay — at the head of which is Muir Inlet — as covered with vegeta- 

 tion : — " Near the mouth of Glacier Bay is a cluster of low islands 

 named after Commander Beardslee, of the United States Navy. 

 There are twenty-five or thirty of these, and they are composed of 

 loose material — evidently glacial debris — and are in striking con- 

 trast with most of the islands and shores in south-eastern Alaska. 

 These, also, like all the other land to the south, are covered with 

 evergreen forests, though the trees are of moderate size." 



It is obvious that a very slight advance of the ice — such as are 

 known to be of common occurrence — might cover this vegetation 

 with glacial deposits and present all the phenomena of "interglacial 

 beds." 



Another indication of the possible close association of a Mammalian 

 fauna, and the action of ice is furnished by the phenomena of the 

 region of Hundes in India. 



No glaciers descend there below 14,000, and very few below 

 16,000 or 17,000; and it has been shown by Mr. Lydekker that 

 Wild Horses {Equus hemionus) and Yaks (Bos grunniens) live there 

 at elevations of 15,000 feet. That remains of these could very easily 

 be imbedded in glacial deposits is obvious.^ 



And that vegetation may occur on the higher ground, while 

 intervening valleys are filled with ice, is indicated by Lydekker's 

 account of the glaciers of Baltistan. 



Of the Tapsa glacier he writes : 



"Cypress trees extend to a height of 1000 or 1500 feet above the 

 level of the glacier." ^ 



A further illustration of the overlapping of an even temperate 

 vegetation with the ice is given in Kendu's " Glaciers of Savoy." 



He speaks of the ice advancing between banks covered with 

 flowei's, and adds, " I stopped near a field of rye which was by the 

 side of the Glacier des Bossons. An ear, almost ripe, and swayed 

 by the wind, each instant touched the ice, and drew back as if 

 frightened by this strange guest come from a climate which has no 

 power save for death." ^ 



It is obvious, in fact, that while the higher part of a glaciated 

 region may be removed from all animal or vegetable life, the lower 

 or melting portion must in some way invade the zone of living 

 creatures, and thus tend to mingle their remains with the tokens of 

 ice action. 



But do the facts of the case admit the supposition that any 

 considerable portion of our fauna and flora were actually able to 

 exist in the southern unglaciated portion of Britain during the period 

 of intense cold ? 



On the hypothesis that the ice-sheet extended as far south as the 

 latitude of London, there seems but a small area left — and that in 

 close proximity to a great ice-sheet — for its conservation. But in 



1 See Geol. Mag. May, 1891, pp. 209-210. 



2 Eecords Geol. Surv. India, vol. xiv. p. 44. 



3 Translation, p. 68, Edited by Prof. George Forbes. 



