On the Phenomena of the Glacial Epoch. 247 
perate sphere ; while the influence of an arctic stream, 
laden with islands of floating ice, might so chill the atmo- 
sphere of Western Europe, that our hills and valleys, now 
mantled with green, would be covered again with glaciers 
and perpetual snow. 
If professor Frankland's assumption be correct ; if, as he 
supposes, " the efi'ects of the glacial period were felt all over 
the globe, — if it was preceded by a period of indefinite 
duration, in which glacial action was altogether awanting, 
or was at least comparatively insignificant," we must ascribe 
the phenomena of that epoch to some agency at present 
unknown ; but if we adopt the opinion, held we believe by 
many geologists, that the glacial period was not contempo- 
raneous all over the earth, the natural agencies at present 
in operation may, with the utmost probability, be regarded 
as having produced all the peculiar phenomena of that 
rigorous time. 
We conclude by suggesting some questions for the con- 
sideration of practical geologists. 
1. Are there any traces of glacial action, or other 
evidences of extreme cold, to be found among relics of for- 
mations preceding the pliocene % 
2. Have we not reason to suspect that those strata which 
exhibit no trace of organic remains, and which some have 
looked on as proofs of a time when darkness and desolation 
spread over the globe, originated in the operation of the 
agencies we have been examining ? Are they not the 
efi'ects of the glacial influences of earlier times ? 
A conversation followed, in which the Eev. Thomas Brown, 
Mr David Page, Mr Catton, Dr M'Bain, and Mr W. Ehind 
took part ; and a vote of thanks was given to the Eev. Mr 
Brodie for his interesting and suggestive communication. 
