442 



THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY. Lect. IV. 



as to the existence of warm-blooded animals capable of 

 flight, during the wealden and cretaceous epochs, must, 

 therefore, be regarded as in the same state of uncertainty, 

 as when I first announced the occurrence of the supposed 

 bird's bones in the strata of Tilgate Forest, in 1827. I am, 

 however, inclined to believe, that the presence of birds in 

 the secondary formations, will sooner or later be satisfac- 

 torily established ; and I would, therefore, retain the name 

 of Palceornis Cliftii, (Medals of Creation, p. 806,) for the 

 wealden ornitholites. 



46. The country of the iguanodon. — By this survey 

 of the strata and organic remains of the Wealden, we have 

 acquired data from which, by the principles of induction 

 already explained (p. 367), we may obtain secure conclu- 

 sions as to the nature of the country whence those spoils 

 were derived, of the animals by which it was inhabited, 

 and of the vegetables that grew upon its surface. Whether 

 that country was an island or a continent cannot be deter- 

 mined; but that it was diversified by hills and valleys, 

 and irrigated by streams and rivers, and enjoyed a climate 

 of a higher temperature than any part of modern Europe, 

 is most evident. Arborescent ferns, palms, coniferous 

 trees, and cycadeous plants, constituted its groves and 

 forests, and delicate ferns the vegetable clothing of its soil ; 

 and in its fens and marshes the equiseta, and plants of a 

 like nature, prevailed. Its principal herbivorous quadru- 

 ped was the enormous lizard, the Iguanodon ; its carnivore, 

 the Megalosaurus and other predaceous reptiles; crocodiles 

 and turtles frequented its rivers, and deposited their eggs 

 on the banks and shoals ; and its waters teemed with 

 fishes, mollusca and crustaceans. That the soil was of a 

 sandy nature on the hills and plains, and argillaceous in 

 the lowlands and marshes, may be inferred from the vege- 

 table remains, and the lithological character of the strata 

 in which they are imbedded. Some inferences relating to 



