Saull's Essay on the Coincidence^ tyc. 221 



former time, in a different position from what they are now. 

 Others, amongst whom is Mr. Lyell, have sought for a solu- 

 tion in the supposition that the land above the surface of the 

 waters must have occupied portions of the surface of the 

 globe different from those where the land is now. In the 

 present essay, it is the object of Mr. Saull to show that it is 

 not merely one change of climate, but many alternate 

 changes of heat and cold, that have to be accounted for ; and 

 he confines himself to the strata of England for illustration. 



He first notices, as the foundation of his argument, that 

 corals are now produced rapidly and in extreme abundance, 

 in the warm regions within the tropics, which is not the case 

 in cold northern climes. He remarks that there are corals 

 above the greywacke, and in contact with it, indicating a 

 warm climate. This is the lowest formation in England in 

 which the existence of animated beings is discovered. 



Immediately above the greywacke is the old red sandstone, 

 in which are no corals and only a few shells, which he con- 

 siders to be a proof that a cold northern climate then pre- 

 vailed ; and the structure of this formation shows it to be 

 marine. 



Above the old red sandstone is the mountain limestone, in 

 which the abundance of the remains of what was animated 

 life strikes with astonishment. We discover, for the first 

 time, iVautili, Orthoceratites, Terebratulae, Spiriferas, Pro- 

 ducts, and many others, with an immense number of corals 

 of the greatest beauty : the clearest indications of a hot 

 climate. 



Next, in the ascending order, is the millstone grit, the 

 greater part of which is destitute of organic remains, except 

 that, towards the summit, are scales and teeth of reptile fish. 

 This the author considers to be a proof of a cold climate ; 

 whilst the sandy structure of this formation, as in the old 

 red sandstone, shows the powerful action of prevailing 

 waters. 



Over the millstone grit is the great coal formation, in 

 which is a rich abundance of vegetable remains, resembling 

 the plants of the tropics ; as reeds of 30 ft. or 40 ft. in length, 

 palms, palmated shrubs, and arborescent ferns. At this pe- 

 riod, then, there was a tropical climate ; and, as the plants 

 are gradually found to be less numerous in the upper beds, 

 the author considers this to indicate a gradual approach to a 

 colder climate, which he finds in the next higher formation, 

 the new red sandstone. In its sandy composition he finds 

 proof of oceanic action. There are few animal fossils, and 

 no plants, as might have taken place in a cold climate. The 



