The Vedic fathers of geology

EpmsopE OF THE GLACIAL Pertop. 133

ed by, or known to them, in accordance with their own notions, and the means and materials they then possessed.

In the last chapter, we noticed in brief, and gave a few details of, the Azoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and the Cainozoic or the Tertiary Epoch. And it now seems necessary to make a rapid survey of the Glacial Period, and of the Quaternary Era which followed it. Now, viewing in the descending order the geological formations, we find the Tertiary Era followed by the Glacial Epoch (f@"ga), which is remarkable no less for the thick sheets of ice covering the higher latitudes of Asia, Europe, and America, than for depopulating the immense tracts of the three continents, that before enjoyed genial climate and were teeming with population.

The causes of the Ice Age have not yet been ascertained, and many theories, therefore, in respect thereof, appear to have been in the field. Some hold that the intense Arctic conditions had arisen, owing to Geographical causes ; that is to say, owing to somewhat different distribution of land and sea-areas in Glacial times; or to the general depression of land on one side, its elevation on the other, the indrift of Glacial currents, and the consequent formation of Ice-sheets ; or owing to a change in the position of the Poles.

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