142 Correspondence — G. W. Lamplugh. 



C!Oias,Es:poisriDEisrcs. 



NAMES FOE BRITISH ICE-SHEETS OF THE GLACIAL PERIOD. 



Sib, — It has often occurred to me that the discussion of our 

 British Glacial phenomena would be facilitated by the adoption of 

 regional names, such as have been found so useful in this respect in 

 North America, for the different portions of the confluent ice-sheets 

 by which our Islands were partly surrounded and covered at the 

 period of maximum glaciation. I have especially felt the want 

 of such names in describing the supposed condition of the basins 

 of the North Sea and of the Irish Sea in Glacial times. The term 

 ' Scandinavian Ice-sheet ' often applied to the North Sea ice-field 

 appears to me to be misleading, since it seems to imply that the basin 

 was occupied solely by the outflow of glaciers from Scandinavia, 

 whereas it is far more probable that it was maintained and 

 augmented principally by the snowfall upon its own surface. The 

 term 'Irish Sea Ice,' sometimes used to denote the ice-sheet filling 

 that sea-basin, is likewise objectionable, as I found in a recent 

 discussion where it was understood to imply the marine ice of 

 a frozen sea. 



After due consideration and discussion with colleagues interested 

 in the subject, I am inclined to think that the term ' East British 

 Ice-sheet ' will be found suitable for the mass which occupied the 

 bed of the North Sea off our eastern coasts, and spread thence, in 

 places, inland. This will then find its complement in the term 

 ' West British Ice-sheet ' for the land-ice which filled the basin 

 of the Irish Sea, and encroached upon our north-western lowlands. 



We already speak of the ' Pennine Ice ' for the great confluent 

 glaciers which covered the greater part of the Pennine region, 

 and of the ' Lake District Ice ' for the masses of that region, and 

 these terms need no revision. 



Then, for the ice which overspread the greater part of Scotland to 

 the exclusion of the ' East British ' and ' West British ' sheets, we 

 might apply the general term ' Caledonian,' with such local sub- 

 division as may be hereafter found convenient. Aud, similarly, the 

 ' Hibernian ' (or ' Ivernian ' ) would be that which covered Central 

 Ireland, and the 'Cambrian' that which shielded the greater part of 

 Wales. 



More restricted local terms might still be introduced to distinguish 

 well-defined portions of these sheets, and the lobes into which they 

 probably split towards their termination. 



I shall be glad to learn whether the terms above suggested are 

 likely to be approved of by glacialists who hold the 'land-ice 

 theory ' in regard to our drifts. G. W. Lamplugh. 



TONBRIDGE. 



January 20, 1901. 



