on the ^ajl Coajl of England. 293 



•ur planet. Thefc vegetable remains -are found in fuch flat 

 countries as may be confidered to be of a new formation. 

 The vegetable organization ftill fubfifts, at leaft in part ; 

 and their vegetable fubflance has fuffered a change only in 

 colour^ fmell, or confiftence ; alterations which are produced 

 by the development of their oily and bituminous parts, or 

 by their natural progrefs towards rottennefs. Such are the 

 foffil vegetables found in Cornwall by Borlafe ; in Eflex by 

 Derham ; in Yorkfliire by De la Pryme and Richardfon; and 

 in foreign countries by olher naturalifts. Thefe vegetables 

 are found at different depths, fome of them much below the 

 prefent level of the fea, but in clayey or fandy ftrata (evi- 

 dently belonging to modern formation) ; and have no doubt 

 been carried from their original place, and depofited there by 

 the force of great rivers or currents, as it has been obferved 

 with refpeft to the Mifliffippi*. In many inllances, how- 

 ever, thefe trees and flirubs are found Handing on their 

 roots, and generally in low or marfiiy places above, or very 

 little below, the level of the fea. 



To this laft defcription of foffil vegetables the decayed 

 trees here defcribed certainly belong. They have not been 

 tranfported by currents or rivers ; but, though ftanding in 

 their native foil, we cannot fuppofe the level in which they 

 are found to be the fame as that in which they grew. It 

 would be impoffible for any of thefe trees or (lirubs to vege- 

 tate fo near the fea, and below the common level of its 

 water; the waves would cover fuch trafts of land, and 

 hinder any vegetation. We cannot conceive that the fur- 

 face of the ocean has ever been lower than it now is ; on 

 ••^e contrary, we are led, by numberlcfs phenomena, to be- 



vc that the level of the water in our globe is now below 

 what it was in f(jrmer periods : we muft therefore conclude, 

 that the forcft here defcribed grew in a level high enough to 

 permit its vegetation j and that the force (whatever it was) 



' Le Coudrinicrc fur Ics Dep6ts du Miinilippi, Journal dc Pliyfujur, 

 i|vol. xxi. p. i3C. 



U 3 which 



