xvi 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



....Rapid Destruction of Mountains dependent on their Structure. ...Fall of Mont 

 Grenier in Savoy. ...Breaking down of the Barriers of Mountain Lakes. ...Scat- 

 tered Masses ot Rock.. ..Increase of Land by Alhivial Depositions in Lakes, 

 and the Deltas of large Rivers.. ..On the Formation of productive Soils. ...Recent 

 Strata formed in Lakes.. ..Peat and Peat Moors.. ..Inundations of Sand... .Remains 

 of Elephants and other large Animals, found in the Diluvial Beds in England, 

 and the frozen Regions of Europe and Asia, 312 



CHAPTER XXII. 



OTf THE ELEVATION OF MOUNTAINS AND CONTINENTS. 



The Elevation of the Beds of Granite and Slate in England proved by|the Au- 

 thor, in 1823, to have taken place at a much earlier Epoch than the Elevation 

 of the Granite of Mont Blanc. ..The Facts on which this Conclusion was found- 

 ed, described and explained.. ..Application of similar Conclusions to other moun- 

 tain Ranges by M. Elie de Beaumont.. ..The Elevation of Rocks of Granite and 

 Slate proved to have taken place by a distinct Operation from that which up- 

 heaved Continents from the Ocean, and at a different Epoch. ...Elevation of the 

 Mountains and Table Land in Central Asia.. ..Depression of the Surface round 

 the Caspian Sea.. ..Instances of the Elevation and Submergence of the Earth's 

 Surface in various Parts of the Globe, 335 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



ON THE FORMATION OF VALLEYS, AND THE GEOLOGICAL THEORIES, 

 RELATING TO VALLEYS AND DENUDATIONS. 



On the Causes that have broken the Surface of the Globe. ...Erosive Action of 

 running Water illustrated by the Process called JfMs/img-... .Bursting of Lakes. 

 ....Some Valleys originally formed by Elevation or Subsidence, and subsequent- 

 ly enlarged by the Action of Water.. ..Difterent Theories respecting the Forma- 

 tion of Valleys. ...Theory of Werner — of Hutton... .Of Elevation. ...Of the reti- 

 ring Waters of the Ocean. ...Theory of Excavation and Denudation by Delu- 

 ges.. ..Modification of this Theory by Sir James Hall ; its Application to explain 

 Denudations and Transportation of Blocks of Granite from the Alps. ...Particu- 

 lar Phenomena presented by the scattered Blocks in the Vicinity of Geneva. 

 Denudation of Stratified Rocks, effected by the same Causes which have bro- 

 ken the Primary Rocks, and scattered their fragments into distant Districts, - 346 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



ON THE ANCIENT TEMPERATURE OF THE EARTH. ON CENTRAL HEAT, 



AND ON ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA ILLUSTRATIVE OF GEOLOGICAL 



THEORIES. CONCLUSION, 357 



SUPPLEMENT TO CHAPTER VIII. 



ON THE GREAT COAL FORMATION, - - - 368 



APPENDIX, 



An Index Outline of the Geology of England ...... 371 



Heights of remarkable Mountains - - 376 



On the Thermal Waters of the Alps 379 



On the Temperature of Mines and Wells 383 



On the Surface of the Moon 384 



On Orbicular Granite and Porphyry 385 



On Freshwater Formations 386 



Farther Observations on the Intermixture of Human Bones with those of 



Bears, in the Cavern of Miallet 386 



Glossary 388 



Supplement by the Editor 389 



Index 467 



