D. Bell — The Great Ice Age and Submergence. 403 



land which, he still favours in connection with the Glacial epoch. 

 Dr. Geikie's latest " scheme " of that epoch seems to include ab 

 least five Glacial and four inter-Glacial periods, accompanied by 

 submergences and re-elevations to the extent of between 500 and 

 600 feet — the maximum being for the present restricted to that 

 amount.-^ Frankly, we confess ourselves unable to see the proofs 

 for so many Glacial and inter-Glacial periods, of which, if they 

 did occur, it would apparently be impossible — on the author's own 

 premises as to glacial erosion — now to discover any traces. Apart 

 from this, we might remark on the inherent improbability of such 

 extensive oscillations of the eai'th's crust having happened in recent 

 geological times, without leaving more distinct evidence of them- 

 selves than the very scanty and doubtful deposits which we have 

 been considering. 



Let us look, however, for a little at such alleged movements in 

 one aspect only — their relation to glacial conditions. We think it 

 may be taken as a certain datum, to begin with, that in itself a liigh 

 elevation of the land tends to bring about colder conditions ; and 

 on the other hand, a depression or submergence of the land is 

 distinctly favourable to milder conditions of climate. In this 

 country, for example, an elevation of a few hundred feet would 

 bring a considerable extent of our mountainous regions within tlie 

 limits of perpetual snow. It would also ward off to a greater 

 distance the warmer currents of the sea, and in these and other 

 more indirect ways it would obviously lower the general tempera- 

 ture of the country. On the other hand, a submergence of a few 

 hundred feet, by lowering and diminisliing the high lands, and by 

 admitting more freely the ocean currents — the great distributors 

 of heat and equalizers of temperature — would certainly go far to 

 bring about milder and more genial climatic conditions. So that, 

 as Lord Kelvin has pointed out, with a far more moderate sub- 

 mergence than many are in the habit of imagining, in the 

 northern hemisphere, there would in all likelihood be no snow 

 or ice at all till some point far up within the Arctic circle, and 

 perhaps not much even there. ^ 



Sometimes impossible currents are invoked from unknown regions, 

 to perform tasks that are plainly beyond them. So long as the earth 

 has revolved on its present axis, and the great continents of its 

 surface have occupied their present position, so long, it would seem, 

 must the general system of aerial and ocean currents have been the 

 same. Our belief in the general similarity of conditions in these 

 respects during the Glacial period, and at present, is confirmed by 

 the fact — admitted by Dr. Geikie — that alike in Europe, Asia, and 

 America, the areas of maximum precipitation during the Glacial 

 period corresponded to the areas of maximum precipitation still. 

 " The former distribution of snow and ice was in strict accord with 

 existing conditions : . . . . there can be no doubt that the conditions 



1 See " Great Ice Age," pp. 323-325, 421 and 422. Also " Fragments of Earth 

 Lore," pp. 319-321. 



2 "On Geological Climate," Trans. Geol. Soc. Glasgow, vol. y. 



