Ill 



Many of our cuuclusions are drawn exclusively from some details of 

 recent Natural History, which may seem tedious to examine, but for 

 ourselves we think that a critical acquaintance with the habitudes of 

 tribes of animals might be brought to bear more frequently upon the 

 solution of geological problems, with advantage. 



We talk confidently enough of the conditions under which certain 

 deposits were formed, from the most ancient to the most recent, of "coast 

 lines," " deep seas," and " estuarine areas " of wide extent ; but it 

 appears to us sometimes with a seeming looseness, rather calculated 

 to engender doubt or indifference, than to inspire confidence as to 

 our theories, in others. These observations may appear trivial for 

 want of a little more attention to detail, but we may reflect that 

 with all our accumulations of facts, no man has ever yet presumed 

 to say that the geological phenomena of a very limited area in a single 

 formation, had quite unravelled their mysteries to his gaze, however 

 scrutinising ; his difficulties arising, probably, not so much from the 

 want of power to deal with the generalities, as from the inability to 

 appreciate the importance, and perceive the application, of special though 

 apparently trifling, details. Adopting the principle, the value of which 

 has been fully recognized by Lyell and Darwin, that there is generally 

 discoverable a degree of relationship between the present inhabitants 

 of a district and those which immediately preceded them, we believe 

 that the test here applied, in a limited space, is as satisfactory in its 

 results as when made use of in their generalizations. In conclusion we 

 have only to say that we have entered into tliis subject in the most 

 humble spirit, seeking only for truth, and pretending to no degree of 

 authority, still believing such investigations, by others who have more 

 time and ability to devote to them, to come particularly Avithin the scope 

 of such provincial scientific bodies as those now assembled, and if 

 honestly carried out to be likely to lead us as individuals to more 

 satisfactory information than we have yet acquired upon many subjects. 



