638 



GEOLOGY. 



America, for the Glossopteris flora is allied to the Triassic flora of other 

 regions. Since in all these regions the Glossopteris flora antedated 

 or attended the glacial beds, it has been thought to be the flora of 

 a cooler climate, and that this climate was the beginning of the change 

 which culminated in glaciation. As already indicated, the Carboniferous 

 and Permian are not sharply differentiated in these countries. On 

 the whole, the general relations seem to suggest that the beds con- 

 taining the Glossopteris flora and the glacial beds were contempora- 



Fig. 293. — Section of glacial conglomerate near Prieska. The conglomerate is over- 

 lain by Triassic shale. (Schwarz.) 



neous with the early Permian of other regions, rather than with the Car- 

 boniferous proper. If this be true, the culmination of the later Paleo- 

 zoic glaciation was in the early Permian. In the later part of this 

 period there seems to have been an advance of the sea on the land, 

 both in Europe and Asia (Salt Range of India). 



South America. — Rocks like those of the countries about the Indian 

 ocean are also known in Argentina and the southern part of Brazil. 

 In the latter situation, conglomerates of glacial aspect have long been 

 known. Their glacial character has now (1906) been proved by I. C. 



