710 On the Former Extent of the Triassic Formation (October, 
arrives at conclusions in reference to the formation of the Triassic 
conglomerates, the climate of the Triassic period, etc., that seem 
at variance with the facts, at least as presented in the northern 
areas of Triassic rocks. The conclusion that the conglomerates 
are of glacial origin, as also suggested by Prof. Dana, is not sus- 
tained by the structure of the variegated conglomerate in New 
Jersey. , 
The view that the Appalachian Mountain region was of suffi- 
cient height to become covered with perpetual snow, and give 
rise to glaciers which terminated in the sea, and brought down as 
moraines the material forming the Triassic conglomerates, and 
also that the paucity of animal remains in the Triassic rocks is 
due to the low temperature of the water, owing to the supposition 
that “the Mesozoic area was fed by the cold waters issuing from 
the ice and snow of the mountains,” is open to several serious 
objections : 
First. The conglomerate, at least in New Jersey and the Con- 
necticut valley, is of the nature of an ordinary shore deposit, 
formed mostly at the mouths of streams. 
Second. The boulders in this conglomerate are smoothed and 
rounded, but do not show grooves, scratches or e surfaces 
like the stones to be found in a moraine. 
Thirdly. The fossil plants occurring in these rocks are ferns, 
cycads, equiseta and coniferous trees of the Araucarian family, 
these are found from North Carolina northward at least as far as 
Connecticut and Massachusetts ; the home at the present day of 
the plants belonging to these families, especially of the Cycads 
and Araucarias, is in tropical and sub-tropical regions. 
Fourthly, There was an abundance of reptilian life in Triassic 
times, as is shown by the great number of footprints found both 
in New Jersey and the Connecticut valley ; reptiles of large size 
also lived as far northward as the Prince Edward islands. All 
the larger reptiles of the present day are confined to the warmer 
regions of the globe, and are mostly found within the tropics. We 
can hardly believe that the gigantic reptiles of the Triassic age 
were so different in habits from their modern representatives that 
they could find a congenial home along shores that were covere 
with ice, or in waters derived from the melting of e in 
which icebergs were floating. 
1 Amer. Jour. Sci., April, 1879, p. 330. ` 
