The glacial flora and fauna. The glacial deposits naturally yield few traces of life, except those which have been derived from other deposits, and we are dependent for our information concerning the fauna and flora of the glacial period upon the remains furnished by the interglacial deposits. Unfortunately it is very hard to ascertain which deposits are interglacial, and many which have been claimed as such are either preglacial or postglacial. The meagre evidence which we possess points to the existence of an arctic fauna or flora in Britain during the prevalence of this glacial period. A question which has received much attention of recent years is that of the existence of preglacial or interglacial man, on which much has been written. The existence of man in glacial times is probable, but it is the opinion of many of those who are most competent to form a judgment, that it has not been proved in the only conclusive way, namely, by the discovery of relics of man in deposits which are directly overlain by glacial deposits, or which at any rate are demonstrably older than glacial deposits[110].
[110] On the question of preglacial and interglacial man, see W. Boyd Dawkins, Early Man in Britain; H. Hicks, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. XLII. p. 3, XLIV. p. 561, and XLVIII. p. 453; T. McK. Hughes, ibid., vol. XLIII. p. 73; Sir J. Evans, Presidential Address to British Assoc. 1897.
THE STEPPE PERIOD.
The occurrence of a period marked by dry climate over wide areas of the Eurasian continent, and possibly also in North America, is evidenced by the widespread distribution of an accumulation known as loess, concerning the origin of which there has been much difference of opinion, though that it was formed subsequently to the glacial period seems to be generally admitted, inasmuch as it is largely composed of rearranged glacial mud. The formation of the loess as a steppe-deposit was first advocated by Baron von Richthofen, and his views were supported by Nehring after study of the loess-fauna. Richthofen's explanation of the loess as due to the spread of dust by wind in a dry region is becoming widely accepted, and it necessitates the widespread occurrence of steppe conditions, as the loess has a very extensive geographical range, and may be truly regarded as the normal continental deposit of Eurasia during the period immediately succeeding the glacial period. In our own country, as the sea cannot have been far distant during these times the normal loess is not found, but several accumulations occur, which on stratigraphical and palæontological grounds must be regarded as synchronous with the formation of the loess. These are certain rubble-drifts of the southern counties, the older river-gravels of southern England, and some of the older cave deposits of various parts of England. It is doubtful whether any classification into minute subdivisions can be adopted for them, though Prof. Boyd Dawkins has advocated their separation into an older age of River Drift Man, and a newer period of Cave Man, on account of the evidences of a lower state of civilisation afforded by examination of the River Drift implements when compared with those fashioned by Cave Man. Roughly speaking, the Steppe period corresponds with the period during which Palæolithic man existed, at any rate in north-west Europe, and we may speak of the Steppe period as the Palæolithic period, without asserting that Palæolithic man necessarily disappeared at the time when the climate changed and caused the replacement of Steppe conditions by others favourable to forest-growth.
Description of the accumulations. The loess consists of unstratified calcareous mud or dust, with a peculiar vertical fracture, and is interesting rather on account of the nature of its fossils and of its distribution than for its lithological characters. As it is not found in Britain it is not necessary to say much about it, but merely to refer to the published descriptions[111].
[111] An account of Richthofen's views by that author will be found in the Geological Magazine, Dec. 2, vol. IX. (1882), p. 293, and the fauna of the loess is described by Nehring (Ibid., p. 570).
The British deposits require some notice, as their characters and mode of occurrence are of some significance. Along the south coast are deposits of coarse rubble which have yielded some organic remains, which have been described by Mr Clement Reid[112], who also discusses their origin. The rock, also known as the Elephant Bed, consists of angular fragments of flint and chalk, and seems to have been produced by streams which were able to flow over the surface of the chalk when it was frozen. Many other similar deposits in the south of England, which are found on the open surface, may have had a similar origin.