RECENT PERIOD, 
145 
CHAPTER X. 
RECENT AND POST-PLIOCENE PERIODS* 
Recent and Post-pliocene Periods. — Terms defined. — Formations of the 
Recent Period.—^Modern littoral Deposits containing Works of Art near 
Naples.—Danish Peat and Shell-mounds.—Swiss Lake-dwellings.—Peri¬ 
ods of StonCj Bronze, and Iron.—Post-pliocene Formations.—Coexistence 
of Man with extinct Mammalia.—Reindeer Period of South of France.— 
Alluvial Deposits of Paleolithic Age.—Higher and Lower-level Valiev- 
gravels.^—Loess or Inundation-mud of the Nile, Rhine, etc,—Origin of 
Caverns.—Remains of Man and extinct Quadrupeds in Cavern Deposits.— 
Cave of Kirkdalew—Australian Cave-breccias.—Geographical Relationship 
of the Provinces of living Vertebrata and those of extinct Post-pliocene 
Species.—Extinct struthious Birds of New Zealand.—Climate oPthe Post¬ 
pliocene Period.—Comparative Longevity of Species in the Mammalia and 
Testacea.—Teeth of Recent and Post-pliocene Mammalia. 
We have seen in the last chapter that the uppermost or 
newest strata are called Post-tertiary, as being more modern 
than the Tertiary. It will also be observed that the Post- 
tertiary formations are divided into two subordinate groups: 
the Recent, and Post-pliocene. In the former, or the Recent, 
the mammalia as well as the shells are identical with species 
now living: whereas in the Post-pliocene, the shells being all 
of living forms, a part, and often a considerable part, of the 
mammalia belonged to extinct species. To this nomencla¬ 
ture it may be objected that the term Post-pliocene should 
in strictness include all geological monuments posterior in 
date to the Pliocene; but when I have occasion to speak of 
the whole collectively, I shall call them Post-tertiary, and 
reserve the term Post-pliocene for the older Post-tertiary 
formations, while the Upper or newer ones will be called 
“ Recent.” 
Cases will occur where it may be scarcely possible to draw 
the boundary line between the Recent and Post-pliocene de¬ 
posits ; and we must expect these difficulties to increase rath¬ 
er than diminish with every advance in our knowledge, and 
in proportion as gaps are filled up in the series of records. 
RECENT PERIOD. 
It was stated in the sixth chapter, when I treated of denu¬ 
dation, that the dry land, or that part of the earth’s surface 
which is not covered by the waters of lakes or seas, is gen- 
7 
