570 Corresjjondence — 3fr. H. H. Hotcorth. 



arrived at by such profound teachers of physical science as Cuvier 

 and Buckland in the last generation, and d'Archiac in this. The 

 phrase, however, may pass as meaning merely that Mr. Eeid him- 

 self does not agree with these conclusions. He also speaks of the 

 view which is opposed to the current Uniform,itarian theory as an 

 extinct theory. Surely again Mr. Eeid limits his language to the 

 scholars of Lyell in this country. He cannot have read what the 

 great school of geologists in France and Belgium, where so much 

 Avork has been devoted to Post- Glacial deposits, has written and is 

 writing upon the question of Uniformity, or he would not use the 

 term extinct theory to the view maintained by its opponents. 



These phrases are, however, mere prejudice. We are not theologians 

 discussing authority, but students of an inductive science in which 

 the facts are the things to appeal to, and not the name of this or that 

 writer — of this or that popular school of geology. If I have quoted 

 others, it is only to show that what I have advanced has been held 

 by bigger men than myself. Let us then to the facts. Those who 

 hold Mr. Eeid's view have to account for two things — the presence 

 of Mammoth remains buried in elevated clay-hills throughout the 

 length of Siberia ; and, secondly, the preservation of the flesh of 

 these Mammoths fresh and intact. In regard to the former difficulty, 

 Mr. Reid suggests that the Mammoths were buried by sediment from 

 the Siberian rivers. It is true that the upper reaches of the Eiver 

 Obi, where, by the way, Mammoth remains are infrequent, are subject 

 to very wide floods, caused by the stoppage of the drainage by the 

 mouth of the river being hard frozen, while its sources are thawed ; 

 but this is by no means the rule with the other Siberian rivers, 

 especially those of Eastern Siberia, where the Mammoths abound, 

 and which have deep channels and steep banks. There floods are 

 comparatively slight, nor do such floods reach the high ground 

 where the Mammoths are chiefly found, nor is the high ground 

 composed of river sediment, but largely of clay. The floods seen 

 in the lower Tundras are not fluviatile, but caused by the melting of 

 the summer snow on their surface. Again, as I have quoted from 

 Schmidt, who is the most experienced geologist who has examined 

 the problem on the spot, the Siberian rivers do not deposit sediment 

 that could envelope the Mammoths. Lastly, the fluviatile theory 

 requires that the Tundra throughout Northern Siberia should be 

 submerged entirely throughout the winter months ; for unless the 

 high ground is covered, the problem is not solved. If so, how could 

 the Mammoths live there at all ? Even Dr. Tanner, with his aqueous 

 tastes, would be puzzled to live a few months upon the frozen 

 beverage which North Siberia supplies so plentifully, much less 

 great pachyderms requiring immense stores of vegetable food daily. 



Mr. Eeid speaks of the occasional preservation of carcases of 

 Mammoths and Rhinoceroses. Considering that they are found in 

 the whole breadth of Asia from the estuary of the Obi to Behrings 

 Straits, in a region almost deserted by civilized man, and therefore 

 beyond the reach of anything but casual inquiry, and considering 

 the number of recorded cases and the long ages during which their 



