so 



now on to the earth's surface, has been differently des- 

 cribed by scientific men. Meteorology is become a science 

 of itself, and knowledge of its intricacies becomes more ex- 

 tended every day. For how many cycles of years this pro- 

 cess of nature has been continued or when it first commenced, 

 the mind of man has not the power to conceive. When we 

 examine the chalk strata, and see its courses laid in regular in- 

 tervals with lines of flint, indicating the numerous chaotic 

 waves of semi-fluid matter which must have rolled at inter- 

 vals over the earth's surface, leaving its heavier deposits at 

 the base ; when we consider that this mass is full of evi- 

 dences of pre-esistence of life, that beneath this lies the 

 gault full of the shells of aqueous life ; below that again other 

 series of rocks also containing evidences of previous 

 vitality ; thence we descend to the wealden clay, also ser- 

 rated with solid masses or layers of stone called marble, 

 which owes its beauty to its organic remains ; that these 

 are each succeeded by other strata, which, after the proofs 

 of animal life are gone, give other proofs of previous vege- 

 tation, now forming seams of coal and other products re- 

 plete with wonders; I repeat the imagination cannot 

 fathom and language hardly describe the period which 

 omniscience has chosen for thus far developing the laws by 

 •which the universe is governed. We are told by the first 

 historian, in the Scriptures of truth, when man first ap- 

 peared upon the earth ; but when chaos first arose at the 

 Almighty command has not been revealed. The discoveries 

 of Buckland, of Miller, and of Murchieson, with other 

 eminent geologists, have done much to enlighten us ; but 

 far more remains, and ever will remain, unknown. Before 

 I conclude, allow me to add that I think it would be bene- 

 ficial to this society if its members would unite in making 

 observations on the quantities of rain which fall in difi"erent 

 altitudes and localities in this division of the county, and 

 also upon the variations of temperature. It has been as- 

 certained that on higher levels less rain falls than on those 

 lower down. In one year the result of numerous obser- 

 vations gave the following depths of rain falling at the 



