MAN AND THE GLACIAL PERIOD. 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



That glaciers now exist in the Alps, in the Scandi- 

 navian range, in Iceland, in the Himalayas, in NeAv Zea- 

 land, in Patagonia, and in the mountains of Washington, 

 British Columbia, and southeastern Alaska, and that a 

 vast ice-sheet envelops Greenland and the Antarctic Con- 

 tinent, are statements which can be verified by any one 

 who will take the trouble to visit those regions. That, at 

 a comparatively recent date, these glaciers extended far 

 beyond their present limits, and that others existed upon 

 the highlands of Scotland and British America, and at 

 one time covered a large part of the British Isles, the 

 whole of British America, and a considerable area in the 

 northern part of the United States, are inferences drawn 

 from phenomena which are open to every one's observa- 

 tions. That man was in existence and occupied both Eu- 

 rope and America during this great expansion of the 

 northern glaciers is proved by evidence which is now be- 

 yond dispute. It is the object of the present volume to 

 make a concise presentation of the facts which have been 

 rapidly accumulating during the past few years relating 

 to the Glacial period and to its connection with human 

 history. 



Before speaking of the number and present extent of 

 existing glaciers, it will be profitable, however, to devote a 

 little attention to the definition of terms. 



