446 THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY. Lect. IV. 



destruction, and the delta of the Country of the Iguanodon 

 gradually emerged above the waters ; and finally, the petri- 

 fied forest of the Oolite rose in the midst of the sea, and 

 became dry land. At length, some portions of the elevated 

 strata attained an altitude of several hundred feet, and a 

 group of islands was formed ; but in the basins or depressions 

 beneath the waters, sediments derived from the disintegra- 

 tion of the sea-cliffs were deposited. Large herbivorous 

 mammalia now inhabited such portions of the former ocean- 

 bed as were covered with vegetation sufficient for their 

 support ; and as these animals died, their bones became 

 enveloped in the accumulations of mud and gravel, which 

 were forming in the bays and estuaries. 



This era also passed away — the elevatory movements 

 continued — other masses of the bed of the chalk ocean, and 

 of the wealden strata beneath, became dry land — and at 

 length those more recent deposits containing the remains of 

 the herbivorous mammalia which were the last tenants of 

 the country. The oak, elm, ash, and other trees of modern 

 Europe, now sprang up where the groves of palms and tree- 

 ferns once flourished — the stag, btiar, and horse, ranged over 

 the plains in which were entombed the bones of the colossal 

 reptiles — and finally, Man appeared, and took possession of 

 the soil. 



At the present time, the deposits containing the remains 

 of the mammoth and other extinct mammalia, are the sites 

 of towns and villages, and support busy communities of the 

 human race ; the Huntsman courses, and the Shepherd 

 tends his flocks, on the elevated masses of the bottom of the 

 ancient chalk ocean* — the Farmer reaps his harvests upon 

 the cultivated soil of the delta of the Country of the Igua- 

 nodon J — and the Architect obtains from beneath the petri- 

 fied forest, the materials with which to construct his temples 



* The South Downs. 



f The Wealds of Kent and Sussex. 



