Dr. Nils Olof Hoist — The Ice Age in England. 421 



therefore regards them as due to many different oscillations of the 

 inland ice. That is as much as to say that it is quite incorrect 

 to imagine here two different glacial epochs, and indeed not quite 

 correct to speak of two different ' glaciations '. 



What we have here before us is nothing else than the first great 

 melting stage of the inland ice. The limit of this in space lies between 

 the periphery of the glaciated region and the ' circumbaltic ' terminal 

 moraine which can be followed through the whole of North Germany 

 far into Poland, and on the other side up through the east part 

 of Holstein and Schleswig into Jutland, where it curves round to the 

 west and finally for about 56° 30' of longitude turns directly 

 westward towards England, as though it would continue its course 

 there. 1 In time this melting stage must be ascribed to a period of 

 milder climate well known to archaeologists as characterizing the 

 Aurignacian and Solutrian stages, 'a view elaborated in a previous 

 publication. 2 



This melting stage can also be observed in England, and to some 

 extent its limits can be traced there too, but this will be better 

 discussed on a subsequent page. The only point to be emphasized 

 here is that the correspondence between England and North Germany 

 is so complete that even the latter country has no better claim to 

 more than one ice age. In Belgium there is no trace of more than 

 one, and in Holland likewise was only one, there called ' die 

 Haupteiszeit'. In the last-mentioned country, however, geologists 

 are at present uncertain whether it should be ascribed to the ' Pass ' 

 or to the ' Mindel ' period, on the supposition, that is, that there 

 really was more than one period. But it would seem that the 

 problem of nomenclature might well be postponed until it has 

 been proved that there really was in Northern Europe anything 

 corresponding to the Alpine epochs of Penck. Penck, indeed, has 

 never committed himself to this view, but has, on the contrary, 

 expressly explained that he " holds the view that the classification of 

 the Alpine glacial deposits cannot be transferred to North Germany 

 without further evidence ". 3 



Before the attempt is made in the following pages to draw the 

 limits of the Ice Age in England and to assign it to its proper position, 

 it seems fitting to say something about the pre-glacial conditions, 

 which may be regarded as having in all probability had some 

 connexion with the appearance of the Ice Age. 



1 Ussing, op. cit., 1903, see map. 



2 N. 0. Hoist, 1913. " Le commencement et la fin de la periode glaciaire " : 

 L'Anthropologie, tome 24, p. 377. 



3 1912. C.R. Congr. Geol. Internat. Stockholm, 1910, p. 1076. 



To correlate the phenomena of the Ice Age within this little Alpine 

 district with those in the great glacial district of Northern Europe constitutes 

 .undoubtedly no easy problem, and we cannot blame Penck if he delays to 

 express himself upon it. "The master is still in his workshop, and has not 

 yet finished his work." No one can wish to urge him on with indecent haste, 

 but it would certainly be most illuminating if he would let us see what he 

 already has finished. For one thing it might put a check upon his pupils, so 

 that they should not in their enthusiasm press too far, and further than he 

 himself wishes. 



