BRITISH POSTGLACIAL &> RECENT DEPOSITS. 453 



stances, but must be due to the prevalence of similar conditions 

 over a wide region. In each of the districts referred to we have 

 evidence, first, of a considerably broader land-surface than the 

 present, when the climate was favourable to an abundant growth 

 of forest-trees. Then, in the second place, we have proof that 

 those genial conditions were succeeded by a period of greater 

 humidity, during which the forests decayed, and were gradually 

 overgrown by marsh-plants. It is remarkable that the decay 

 of the forests and the growth of the peat were accompanied and 

 succeeded by a limited submergence of the land, during which 

 marine deposits gathered over the surface of the vegetable accu- 

 mulations. And it is not less worthy of note that the subsequent 

 emergence of the land and its elevation to a higher level than 

 the present, was followed or accompanied by a return of genial 

 conditions, when great forests gradually spread over what are 

 now low maritime regions. Eventually this genial climate gave 

 way as before to more humid conditions ; the forests decayed 

 and marsh-plants luxuriated above them, while at the same time 

 the sea again advanced upon the land, although not to such an 

 extent^as during the previous period of submergence. Since that 

 last movement the relative level of land and sea has apparently 

 experienced little change. In some places, however, the waves 

 and tides have caused the coast-line to recede, while in other 

 regions there has been a gradual silting-up of the sea. The oldest 

 of the buried forests has yielded, as we have seen, relics of Neo- 

 lithic age, and similar remains occur even at higher levels. It 

 is only when we come to the upper buried forests and peat, 

 however, that remains of Celtic and Eoman times make their 

 appearance. 



Eaised-beaches of Postglacial and Eecent age are met with 

 now and again at low levels upon the English coast, and some 

 of these have already been referred to. Such, for example, are 

 the marine deposits overlying the lower bnried forests, and the 

 inner margins of which are sometimes as much as 25 feet or even 

 30 feet above the present sea-level. None of the postglacial raised- 

 beaches appears to attain a greater elevation than this. The old 



