[ 29^ ] 



This I take to be the laji fcene of this dreadful cataftrophe, 

 and hence no fhells are found in thefe bafalts, they having 

 been previoufly depofited, though fome other lighter marine vege- 

 table remains have fometimes been found in them ; fome argil- 

 laceous or fandftone ftrata may alfo have been depofited at this 

 period. 



On this account however of the formation of the bafalts which 

 crown the fummits of feveral lofty peaks, I lay no more ftrefs 

 than it can juftiy bear; I deliver it barely as an hypothefis more 

 plaufible than many others. 



It has been objeded to the Mofaic account that the countries 

 near Ararat are too cold to bear olive trees. Tournfort, who firft 

 made this objedion, fhould recollesSt, that at this early period 

 the Cafpian and Euxine feas were joined, as he himfelf has well 

 proved. This circumftance furely fitted a country lying in the 

 38th degree of latitude to produce olives {which now grow in 

 much higher latitudes) at prefent chilled only by its diftance from, 

 the fea. 



A MORE plaufible objedlion arifes from the difficulty of colle<fl- 

 ing and feeding all the various fpecies of animals now known, 

 fome of which can exift only in the hotteft, and others only in 

 the coldeft climates ; it does not however appear to me necefifary 

 to fuppofe that any others were coUeded in the ark but thofe moft 



/ O o 2 necefifary 



