The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-01-20

OF the glacial epoch (when man APP
peared), was the elevation or depres-
sion of extensive regions Of the earth"
earth he says was paroxysmal"
"The paroxysmal elevatory process in
the formation of the Cordillera of
North, and particularly South Ameri-
ca" he says, "involved corresponding
more or less rapid changes in the flora
and fauna of the Pacific Coast regions
of those continents. In South America,
particularly, during the Quaternary
period, though there was no glacial
period north of Patagonia, the extinc-
ton of life was widespread and mark
ed" He then goes on to specify that
Darwin and Alexander Agassiz have
remarked on the occurrence of par
oxysmal upheavals over thousands of
square miles, if not over the whole eX-
tent of the Western Andean plateau,
even in historic times. He cites from
those writer's number of examples in
illustration. Darwin, in his Voyage
of Naturalist mentions that in sim
gle day, February Goth, the whole
coast of South America over an area
of 10000 square miles, and the whole
coast line of Chill and Patagonia was
elevated from two to ten feet above
the sea.level." Mr.. A. Agassiz, he says,
observed sea corals of species still liv-
ing in the Pacific ocean adjacent, at
tached to the rocks, at Tilibiche, Peru,
1900 feet above the sea level, etc.
"These facts" he says, "tend to
prove that the Andean plateau during
the Quarternary period was paroxys-
mally elevated into the air some 10000
feet" "The same phenomena" he says,
Contained in western North America"
Again "The long quiet preparatory
cons of the Mezozoic and early Ter
tiary, were succeeded by crisis in geo.
logical history (our italics), just as the
comparative quiet of the Palmozoic era
terminated in the widespread disturb
ances which took place at the end of
the Coal period"
Professor Packard has thus removed
for us all the difficulties which present
themselves in connection with the So
called pal@olithic implements found in
the river gravels of England and
France, and in the ancient bone-c caves
Of those countries, where we find the
relics Of man mingled with the tusks
of the mammoth, the horns of the rein
deer, and the teeth and bones of the
cave-lion and great cave bear. He &C
counts for the elevated beaches which
perplexed Lyell, and these rapid
changes in the relations Of the sea and
land would bring about sudden changes
of climate, which would result in the
destruction to a great extent Of the
existing fauna.
Here is another passage from him:
" Finally, the Glacial epoch came in,
the glaciers invading Northeastern
America; these on the one hand, and
the great elevation of the western plat
eau, seem to have been the causes
which removed the Pliocene fauna !;
which removal was, geologically speak
ing, comparatively sudden"
The close of the Glacial Epoch was
crisis in geological history; and
should we not expect crisis when
MAN was to appear. This crisis was
marked by paroxysmal movements in
the crust of the earth (of no great vio-
lence), by sudden changes of climate,
by mighty rivers and great floods, and
by the extinction Of many of the ex-
isting animals. In Siberia witness the
destruction of the Mammoth "the
hills on the island of New Siberia" at
the mouth of the Lena, says Erman,
care heaped up two or three hundred
feet high with skeletons of pacby-
derms, bisons, etc.; and he adds, $50
it is clear that at the time when the
elephants and trunks of trees we're
heaped up together, one flood extended
from the centre Of the continent to the
furthest barrier existing in the sea as
it now is" travels in Siberia, vol. H.,
285, 287). Professor Packard finds a
Confederation Of his idea that this was
n parOxysmal moment in OeoIoOical