320 Notices respecting New Books. 



.. 



of the shifting of the axis of the earth, and its cause (p. 20), which 

 he assumes to be the temporary accumulation of ice and snow at 

 two quarters of the globe (as the South Pacific and the North 

 Atlantic), which would increase the momentum, resulting in this 

 case in the Equator being drawn further north on the meridian of 

 Greenwich, and further south on the meridian of New Zealand 

 (p. 24). The absence of the Gulf-stream allowed the European 

 Archipelago to be cooler than it is at the present time (p. 77). 

 A very interesting and suggestive chapter contains the author's 

 views of the general destruction of terrestrial mammals by the 

 oscillation of the great waters, or waves of translation, in the 

 Drift or Glacial Period ; but the survival of such as could swim, 

 float on trees, or otherwise escape during floods is carefully indi- 

 cated (p. 64). The destruction of man also during such a cata- 

 strophe is well thought of, and the " palaeolithic " people, as distin- 

 guished from the " neolithic/* are referred to as having disappeared 

 simultaneously with those Quaternary mammals which then became 

 extinct (p. 76). The possible effects of a wave of translation pass- 

 ing over rivers running transverse to its direction, and to others 

 coinciding with it, are also argued, and the probable mixing of 

 gravels and included stone implements (whether originally scattered 

 or hoarded), of different ages and conditions, is noticed (p. 80 

 &c). 



The effect of the great oscillation of land and water on the 

 distribution of plants is also treated of (p. 92). 



The author next takes up the subject of the Mosaic Deluge, in 

 which and its results he finds a close resemblance to the effects of the 

 waves of translation of the Glacial Period. After this era he 

 regards the British Isles and New Zealand as having respectively 

 stood from 700 to 1000 feet higher (than at present), and the two 

 reciprocal quarters of the globe as having been correspondingly 

 depressed, the ocean covering the Pampas of South America in the 

 one, and all the flat Tundras of Eastern Siberia in the other. The 

 elevation of the land in the North- Atlantic and South-Pacific areas 

 brought on a second Glacial Period over each of these quarters of 

 the sphere ; and the glacial conditions again brought the same 

 forces into play that produced the great Tertiary shifting of the axis 

 of rotation. This great Post-tertiary oscillation had its meridian of 

 maximum effect probably near 30° W. of Greenwich. The grada- 

 tions of elevation and the relative position of the Equator are also 

 referred to (p. 107). Geological and geographical observations 

 bearing on this discussion are given in full. 



The last cosmical change of level (p. 126) is argued out with the 

 same industrious collection of facts in geography and history ; 

 and it is shown that in the North Atlantic and South Pacific there 

 has been a gradual elevation, and in the South Atlantic and North 

 Pacific a gradual depression, during the last stage of the world's 

 history. The collection of facts relating to elevatory movements 

 in the Pacific area will be of interest to those who do not accept 



