The above theory thus briefly presented to account for the climatic
changes of the high southern latitudes is in full accord with the
simple workings of nature as carried on to-day; and it is probable
that the formation of continents and oceans, as well as the earth's
motions in its path around the sun, have met with little change since
the cold era iced the lands of the high latitudes.
At an early age, previous to the appearance of frigid periods, the
ocean waters of the high latitudes probably did not possess an
independent circulation sufficient to lower the temperature so that
glaciers could form. This may have been owing to the shallow sea
bottom south of Cape Horn having been above the surface of the water,
the channel having since been formed by a comparatively small change
in the ocean's level. For, while considering this subject, it is well
to keep in mind that whenever the western continent extended to the
antarctic circle it prevented the independent circulation of the
Southern Ocean waters, consequently during such times ice periods
could not have occurred in the southern hemisphere.
It will be noticed that according to the views given above, the
several theories which have been published to account for great
climatic changes neglect to set forth the only efficacious methods
through which nature works for conveying and withdrawing tropical heat
sufficient to cause temperate and frigid periods in the high
latitudes.
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