16 FOX-STRANGWAYS : GLACIAL PHENOMENA NEAR YORK. 
formation in a manner which fits in satisfactorily with the main 
facts of the case. The chief points of his argument were that there 
was only one glacial period during which there were several large 
glaciers that covered the northern part of these islands, but which 
did not extend so far south as had been supposed by previous 
observers. The deposits occurring to the south of this were 
attributed to floating ice, and were supposed to have been laid down 
in a series of extra-morainic lakes that covered a large part of the 
central and eastern counties. This large ice-sheet or series of glaciers 
descending from the north, the exact origin is immaterial to the 
present enquiry, was separated into several streams, the courses of 
which are clearly marked by the distinct character of the erratics 
which they contain. The most easterly of these, coming from Scan- 
dinavia, impinged against the English coast, and was deflected by it 
as far south as the northern part of Lincolnshire ; while another 
coming from Scotland by way of the Irish Sea was split up by the 
high ground into several lobes. One of these, easily recognised by 
its containing blocks of the peculiar granite from Shap, passed over 
Stainmoor, and was again divided by the Cleveland Hills ; one part, 
passing to the north of them and meeting the great Scandinavian 
glacier, was deflected down the coast ; while the other, probably 
owing to the pressure derived from the impact, was forced down the 
Vale of York ; and, being joined by a branch coming out of Wensley- 
dale, gave rise to the phenomena with which we are now more 
particularly concerned. The Wensleydale branch, which is charac- 
terized by the absence of Shap granite or any erratics except of such 
rocks as occur in the valley of the Ure, came down Wensleydale ; 
and, meeting the larger ice-sheet to the east, was deflected south- 
wards to the Nidd and the region about Harrogate. That these 
several glaciers were split up in this manner, and followed the courses 
indicated above, there is abundant proof in the physical character of 
the country and in the distribution of its glacial beds. 
The total absence of glacial deposits or striations over the whole 
of the high ground formed by the Jurassic rocks in the north-east 
part of the County" clearly shows that these hills stood up as a 
* G. Barrow, Memoirs of the Geological Survey. Explanation of 104 S.W. 
and S.E., pp. 65, 66. 
