260 the president's address. 



Mr. Lhwyd appears to have been much impressed by the 

 alleged fact that marine shells are sometimes generated in the 

 bodies of men and other animals, though at the present day it is 

 difficult enough to understand how such statements could ever 

 have gained credence. He observes : " For to me it appears a far 

 less Wonder, that Shells and other Marine Bodies should be pro- 

 duc'd in the Bowels of the Earth, than their Production in the 

 Bodies of Men or Animals at Land, And that they have been 

 so found, is sufficiently attested, both by Ancient and Modern 

 Authors, of a Credit and Character beyond all Exception." 

 Obviously the universal deluge could hardly be held responsible 

 for the occurrence of marine shells in human bodies, and there- 

 fore why hold it responsible for the occurrence of similar things 

 in the bowels of the earth % 



The ingenious Mr. Lhwyd proceeds as follows : " I therefore 

 humbly offer to your Consideration, some Conjectures I have of 

 late Years entertain'd concerning the Causes, Origine, and Use 

 of these surprising Phenomena. I have, in short, imagin'd they 

 might be partly owing to Fish Spawn received into the Chinks 

 and other Meatus' s of the Earth in the Water of the Deluge, and 

 so be deriv'd (as the Water could make way) amongst the 

 Shelves or Layers of Stone, Earth, &c. and have farther thought 

 it worth our Enquiry, whether the Exhalations which are raised 

 out of the Sea, and falling down in Rains, Fogs, &c. do water 

 the Earth to the Depth here required, may not from the 

 Seminium, or Spawn of Marine Animals, be so far impregnated 

 with, as to the naked E}^e invisible, animalcida, (and also witli 

 separate or distinct Parts of them) as to produce these Marine 

 Bodies, which have so much excited our Admiration, and indeed 

 baffled our Reasoning, throughout the Globe of the Earth. I 

 imagin'd farther, that the like Origine might be ascribe! to the 

 Mineral Leaves and Branches, seeing we find that they are for 

 the most part the Leaves of Ferns, and other Capillaries ; and of 

 Mosses and such like Plants, as are called less perfect ; whose 

 Seeds may be easily allow'd to be wash'd down by the Rain into 

 the Depth here required." 



You will note that the Deluge has not completely disappeared 

 from the hypothesis after all, but we may gather from what follows 

 that it has crept in rather by force of habit, and that the author 

 really relies principally upon the clouds and rain for conveying 



