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Show 274 EOCENE PERIOD. [Ch. XIX. these cones, several llundl·"n d in number, must be post-dilu. vian. l' · 1 6th I y. But since the beginning of the 11sto:1ca ~ra,. or the ·m vas1·0 n o f G au1 by Julius Cresar, the volca. mc actiOn In Au. VCl'CTt1e I1 as b ec n dormant ' and there is nothmg to countenance the bidca that, between the date usually assigned to the Mosaic deluge and the earliest traditional and historical records ~f Central }:france (a period of little more than twcnt~ centunes ), all or any one o f the more entire cones of loose sconre were thrown upLastly, it is the opinion of some writers, that the earth,s surface underwent no great modification at the era of the Mosaic deluCTe, and that the strictest interpretation of the scriptural narrativ; does not warrant us in expecting to find any geological monuments of the catastrophe, an opinion which is consistent with the preservation of the volcanic cones, however high their antiquity. CHAPTER XX. Eocene formations, continued-Basin of the Cotentin, or Valognes-RennesBasin of Belgium, or the Netherlands-Aix in P1·ovence-Fossil insectsTertiary strata of England-Basins of London and Hampshire-Different groups-Plastic clay and sand-London clay-Bagshot sand-J!'resh-water strata of the Isle of Wight-Palreotherium and other fossil mammalia of Binstead- English Eocene strata conformable to chalk-Outliers on the elevated parts of the chalk-Inferences drawn from their occurrence-Sketch of n theory of the origin of the English tertiary strata. HAVING in the last three chapters treated of the Eocene formations of different parts of France, we now propose to examine those which are found in the south-eastern division of England; but before we pass from the continent to our own island, we may briefly advert to several other spots where Eocene deposits have been observed. Their geographical posi· tion will be found delineated on the annexed map*. MAP OF THE PRINCIPAL TERTIARY BASINS OF THE EOCENE PERIOD. No. 62. Iilli Primary rocks and 8 ! Eocene formations. strata older than the carboniferous series. N.B. The space left blank is occupied by secondary formations, from the old red sandstone to the chalk inclusive. "' This map is copied from one given by M. Desnoyers, M~.:m. de la Soc. d'Hist. Nat. de Paris, l82j, pl. 9; compiled partly from that author's observations aut} partly from Mr, Webster's map, Geol, Trans., 1st sc1·ies1 vol, ii, plate 10. ' '1' 2 |