38 Geological Discoveries at Billesdon Coploxo), 



description, which leaves the rhombs still app'oximate ;" he 

 again adds: — " In the h'gneous, the cancellated appearance is 

 here entirely losty the surface is slightly striated, with a scarcely 

 perceptible rising under the central ridge, and a minute but 

 distinct raised dot in the place of the depression in the epider- 

 mis. It has all the appearance of a peeled plant, which had 

 been furnished with small branches or spines in quincuncial 

 order." M. Steinhauer also remarks, " that these plants 

 were furnished in the centre with a pith of a structure differ- 

 ing from the surrounding wood or cellular substance, more 

 dense and distinct at the older end of the plant." 



Comparing these statements with the appearance of the 

 plants under review, a strong analogy will be observed be- 

 tween them, tending in some degree to elucidate this obscure 

 subject, and bringing their variety of configurations nearer to 

 our minds. It may be found interesting to those who have 

 not examined the different states of the same plant while 

 under decay, and may prevent the multiplying the number of 

 species, whose only difference, perhaps, exists in the degrees 

 of decomposition of the same plant. 



GuernseT/, Januarys, 1833. 



Art. X. A Notice of some important Geological Discoveries at 

 Billesdon Coploiv, Leicestershire; tvith Observations on the Na- 

 ture of their Relation to the modern System of Geology. By 

 Joseph Holdsworth, Esq. 



In contemplating the numerous theories of the earth's struc- 

 ture and materials, which have from time to time been advanced 

 by men of profound minds, one cannot but be struck with the 

 discrepancy of those ideas and opinions which, like the ebul- 

 litions of fancy, have successively triumphed and radiated with 

 an effulgent brightness, until the discovery of some new, some 

 simple unexpected fact, some sad reality, has consigned them, 

 in succession, to oblivion. 



Much, very much, however, has undoubtedly been achieved ; 

 many luminous discoveries have been made, and many sur- 

 prising truths have been established, by the meritorious exer- 

 tions of the scientific, as is sufficiently exemplified in the 

 modern system of geology. This system, however, notwith- 

 standing it is countenanced by many of the most scientific 

 characters of the age, may be far from the climax of perfection ; 

 and the warmest advocates of it even admit that it is liable to 

 many weighty objections. Indeed, the complex, the multi- 

 farious, the extraordinary diversity everywhere observable in 



