Geology of England and Wales, &c." 21 1 



This term may, at first thought, seem to savour of hy- 

 pothesis ; and thus be hable to the very objections which 

 these writers feel against the Wernerian nomenclature. 

 But, we believe, that all geologists agree, in imputing the 

 stratum here denominated diluvial, to the agency of a del- 

 uge, at one period, or another ; and it would seem that (his 

 agreement takes away from the term all objection derived 

 from this source. 



A fuller and very satisfactory account of the d'rluvial 

 formation is given in the Introduction : (p. 28 et Seq.) 

 And although it occurs in every partof.the globe, covering 

 probably more surface than any other ; yet has it hitherto 

 been passed, by geologists, in silence ; or scarcely noticed j 

 or blended with alluvium. It is the geest of Kirwan and 

 Jameson, und the diluvian detritus of Buckland ; (Rees' 

 Cyc Add. Art. Geology) which, however, he has put down 

 under the general name of alluvium. It must not be sup- 

 posed, however, that all beds of loose sand and gravel are 

 diluvial. Such beds often occur interstratified with regu- 

 lar strata of clay, and even consolidated rocks ; as will be 

 seen in the sequel. Deposites of sand, gravel and bowlder 

 stones are not diluvial, unless they occur above all regular- 

 ly stratified beds, and the ingredients are confusedly mingled 

 together. This formation exists abundantly, in the United 

 States. Id what places it is found sufliciently thick to re- 

 quire a place on a geological map, may be a question of 

 some difficulty. Martha's Vineyard, Elizabeth Islands and 

 Long Island, with perhaps some spots along the southeas- 

 tern coast of Massachusetts, and the region a few miles 

 west of New-Haven, are the only instances of this kind, 

 vs'hich we, at this moment, mention with confidence. 



We are pleased to find the diluvial formation so definite- 

 ly described and limited in the work before «s : and we 

 cannot but earnestly recommend to American geologists to 

 make that work, in this particular the standard of their de- 

 scriptions. 



Strata above the chalk. " These consist of various beds 

 of sand, clay, marie, and imperfectly consolidated lime- 

 stone." (p. 6.) " No superior or more recent regular for- 

 mations are known to exist in any part of the earth yet ex- 

 amined, with the exception of some trap rocks probably of 

 volcanic origin.'' (Note.) These strata are subdivided as 



