19 



diffused through the bed. In consequence of this, and owing to 

 their being more silicious, and therefore containing less phosphatic 

 matter, Mr. Moore thinks it doubtful if the beds would ever 

 repay the labour of working in the South- West of England. 



I have all along in this lecture used the term "phosphatic 

 nodules," or simply " nodules," but it would be an omission not 

 to mention that in the Eastern Counties these concretions are 

 universally called coprolUes, and are entirely unkno^vn by the 

 above name. This has arisen from the circumstance of Professor 

 Henslow having, as already mentioned, first thought them to be 

 of "coprolitic origin," and the name having got about before 

 this was found to be a mistake. It is a curious instance how 

 Avords originating in error become sometimes stereotyped by use 

 beyond possibility of change. Not only are the nodules them- 

 selves called " coprolites " in Cambridgeshire and Suflblk, but 

 the men employed in working for them are called "coprolite 

 diggers," though sometimes also "fossilers," and the trucks at 

 the Cambridge station, used for conveying the material to 

 London, have the word •'* coprolites " painted on them in large 

 letters. It would be vain now to attempt to recall the wrong 

 word, and to substitute the right one for it in that part of 

 England. 



I spoke, at the beginning of my lecture, of the condition of 

 the labourer, as scarcely less affected than that of their employers 

 by all these novel operations going on in the Eastern Counties. 

 As in many analogous cases the change has acted both for their 

 advantage and their disadvantage. It has led to a manifest 

 improv^meut of their condition in some respects, while it has had 

 an unfavourable influence upon it in others. The introduction 

 of a new kind of labour, which may be carried on all through 

 the winter, brings the men plenty of work, and, from the nature 

 of that work, higher wages than they were formerly used to. 

 And this is greatly to the advantage of those men who are 

 steady and provident. Earning from 15s. to 20s. a week, —even 



