and its Organic Remains, 93 



reconciled. Of the 235 species obtained by Mr. Wood from 

 the red crag of Suffolk, only one third were peculiar to it, the 

 rest being common to it and the coralline, and, as has been 

 shown, might, perhaps, have belonged to the latter; if, then, 

 these be deducted, the remainder, exclusively belonging to 

 the red crag, will coincide in number with those obtained 

 from Norfolk by Mr. Woodward. 



It may be said that the announcement of a tertiary deposit 

 differing essentially from any hitherto observed in this country, 

 involves such important considerations, that it would be pre- 

 mature to form any positive inferences respecting its origin, 

 until the subject shall have become one of more general geo- 

 logical investigation. It is true that the attention of geologists 

 is now for the first time directed to the facts brought forward 

 in this paper; but it must not be forgotten that these state- 

 ments have been the result of careful observation during a 

 considerable period of time. The splendid collection in the 

 possession of Mr. Wood has been obtained after several years 

 spent in the most indefatigable research, and the results he 

 has arrived at regarding the numerical proportion of species 

 in the two formations are not likely at present to receive any 

 material alteration. 



Should subsequent investigation of the crag overthrow 

 the distinctions which I have attempted to establish, the 

 newly described localities will at any rate offer a rich and 

 interesting field for the labours of the oryctologist. The 

 species already obtained from these spots nearly double the 

 gross amount of our tertiary shells, and when we consider 

 that they have been procured by the exertions of one in- 

 dividual only, we may conclude that at no very distant pe- 

 riod the tertiary productions of our own country will equal in 

 number those of the Paris basin*. 



In conclusion I would only remark, that although consi- 

 derable labour has been expended upon those parts of the 

 coralline crag which are so particularly rich in the remains 

 of Testacea, but little attention, comparatively speaking, has 

 been paid to that portion of this formation which exhibits 

 at its extremity so extensive and interesting an assemblage of 

 Zoophytes. The specimens already procured from this di- 

 strict furnish sufficient evidence of the great abundance and 



* The tertiary formations in France have furnished nearly 1200 species 

 of Testacea. Those of the English crag may be fairly estimated at 500, as 

 Mr. Wood in his list does not include all the Norfolk species. If to these 

 latter we add those of the British Eocene period, the amount will not be 

 greatly inferior to the French series. 



