1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 39 



hasty sketch of the reasons which lead geologists to anticipate such 

 discoveries. 



I need scarcely detain you by recounting the several steps in the dis- 

 coveries, which though commenced nearly forty years since, have only 

 within the last ten or so, led to the general acceptation, as a fact, of the 

 existence of man along with numerous animals which have since become 

 extinct ; nor of the various ages which different authors have assigned to 

 these instances. Four divisions have been tolerably well ascertained in 

 Europe. 1. The ante-glacial epoch, or, as Lartet calls it, the epoch of the 

 cave-bear ; 2nd the glacial epoch, or that of the Mammuth and Rhino- 

 ceros ; 3rd the post-glacial, or that of the reindeer ; and 4th, the actual, 

 or that of the Aurochs. Now, you will perceive that this very simple 

 enumeration of the principal animal remains, found contemporary with 

 the evidence of man in these successive epochs, combines with the 

 physical evidence, as indicated by the other names of glacial, post- 

 glacial, &c, to shew, that enormous physical changes, bringing with 

 them equally marked organic changes, had occurred over the surface of 

 Europe, even in these very recent (geologically) periods. Still greater 

 alterations both of surface and climate, and of the animals existing at 

 the time had occurred in the periods immediately preceding those to 

 which I have just referred. And the Miocene (Mammalian) fauna 

 of Europe differs in almost every species from those which succeeded 

 it. These tremendous physical changes brought about such changes in 

 climate, &c, that the Miocene animals were succeeded by others fitted 

 to live in a temperate climate, and these again by others who had to 

 endure the intense severity of an Arctic winter, during the so-called 

 glacial period. But if we now look to the history of later geological 

 periods in India, we find no evidence of these great climatal changes, 

 (so far as the greater portion of this immense empire is concerned). 

 True, there is abundant evidence in the great ranges of the Hima- 

 layas to shew the former extension of the glaciers of those hills. But 

 I am not aware of the existence of any such evidence beyond the 

 hills ; certainly, I think, none which would prove any great lowering 

 of temperature over a wide area. And coincident with this absence 

 of change in physical conditions, we find an equally marked absence 

 of change in the fauna. We have in India none of those very strongly 

 marked divisions which exist in the successive faunae of Europe. 



