Perhaps one of the most unexpected facts concerning the geology of the Polar regions is the almost entire absence of pre-Quaternaryrocks composed of glacial detritus, and the presence there mainly ofsediments containing floras and faunas indicating warm climaticconditions. This is true of the rocks composing the AntarcticContinent as well as of the land masses in the neighbourhood of theArctic Sea. Indeed, it is not until rocks of late Tertiary or Quaternarytimes are reached that we get any signs of continuous frigid conditionsat the Poles.