450 R. M. Deeley — Polar Climates. 



Moine. The suggested double age and origin of the Moine need not 

 be discussed in this paper, the purpose of which is to show that the 

 Torridon Sandstone does contain pebbles from the Moine. 



The derivation of these pebbles from the Moine is consistent with 

 the evidence of the felspathic constituents of the Torridon Sandstone. 

 Dr. Teall remarked (North-West Highlands, 1907, p. 285) that the 

 characteristic felspar of the red sandstones or arkoses in the Torridon 

 Sandstone is microcline, which is not the typical felspar of the 

 Lewisian, though it is often abundant in the Moine. 



If the Torridon Sandstone includes pebbles of the Moine rocks, it 

 must be a younger formation than the Moine Series. 



V. — Polar Climates. 

 By E. M. Deeley, M.Inst.C.E., F.G.S. 



PERHAPS one of the most unexpected facts concerning the geology 

 of the Polar regions is the almost entire absence of pre-Quaternary 

 rocks composed of glacial detritus, and the presence there mainly of 

 sediments containing floras and faunas indicating warm climatic 

 conditions. This is true of the rocks composing the Antarctic 

 Continent as well as of the land masses in the neighbourhood of the 

 Arctic Sea. Indeed, it is not until rocks of late Tertiary or Quaternary 

 times are reached that we get any signs of continuous frigid conditions 

 at the Poles. 



However, there are rocks of several ages in many parts of the 

 world which show that frigid conditions have existed in low latitudes, 

 and even near the Equator itself, in pre-Quaternary times. Generally 

 speaking, however improbable it may seem, the facts indicate that 

 in pre-Quaternary times the world was warm or temperate throughout 

 the greater portion of the time from the Equator to the Poles, but 

 that there were occasional cold periods which affected areas in both 

 high and low latitudes. In Quaternary times, however, the Polar 

 regions were frigid throughout the whole interval, and have remained 

 so ; but there were also much colder intervals which affected all 

 latitudes. Here we clearly have two phenomena resulting from 

 different causes to deal with : the one an effect which caused 

 occasional cold periods affecting the whole earth more or less, and 

 the other a condition which, until recent times geologically, kept the 

 Polar areas, like the rest of the earth, temperate or tropical in 

 climate. Indeed, climatic zones would appear to be of comparatively 

 recent development. 



This almost complete absence of climatic zones in the past has 

 been commented upon by F. Freeh, 1 who points out that in 80° North 

 latitude there prevailed in the past a temperate, indeed a warm 

 temperate climate, for in Spitzbergen we have a fossil flora of ever- 

 green growths and trees with acicular leaves similar to those of the 

 Mississippi district, such as the swamp cypress: He contends that the 

 climatic arrangement of the present day originated in a geologically 

 recent time; but points to signs of the brief development of climatic 



1 Zeitschr. des Ges. fur Erdkunde zu Berlin, 1902, pp. 611-29, 671-93. 



