ABSTRACT
In surveying ihe Earth’s climatic history, and putting in perspective the succession of different regimes that can be recognized, care is needed in the use of words to describe times of different duration. This book follows usages that are widely current; though some readers may be surprised by, or look askance at, the use of the word ‘epoch’ in this context. Certain other common usages have been avoided, because they are either ambiguous or downright misleading. There is a present need to define the terms used in the climatic time scale and establish a stricter practice.
