116 Fossil Shells and their Strata, were created nearly together ! 
dimensions and external form, which it now exhibits ; or in other 
words, all those Species which were contemporary with the depo- 
sition (and creation) of the Strata, were only of a comparatively 
limited period of existence, and entirely differed from the subse- 
quent Organic Creation (on the present surface, of which Moses 
treats), in these remarkable particulars, viz. that very commonly 
only one Species was in existence at the same time; at other times 
‘two Species existed, but neither the beginning nor the end of their 
existences were cotemporaneous, in many instances; during other 
periods of this series of Creations and vital Extinctions, three, 
four, five, and frequently greater numbers of Species existed at the 
same time (as is evinced by their Remains occupying the very same 
Bed or lamina of the Strata) but often, with different eras, of be- 
ginning and ceasing to exist, for almost every particular Species. 
Whereas on the contrary, the present series of Organic Beings, 
or the present Creation as it is commonly called, is extremely di- 
versified, as to the very great number of Species now existing to- 
gether ; each one propagating its like !; And experience, history 
and tradition, concur with just reasoning on the subject, in as- 
suring us, that this always has unvaryingly been the case, ever 
since Man first began to exist; and that although some few orga- 
nic Species may have since become extinct, in the progress of 
bringing whole Districts under the dominion of civilized Man, 
yet in this latter period, no new Species have begun to exist, much 
less has any addition been made to the Matter uf the Globe, ex- 
cept perhaps the inconsiderable ones arising from the fall of 
Masses (containing Iron and Nickel in probably every instance,) 
which prior to such falls, formed parts of separate and indepen- 
‘dent Satellitula, which from the period of the general Creation 
had continued to revolve around our planet, with the immense 
velocity requisite for maintaining such small orbits as the shooting 
‘stars move in*. 
These views on the subject of Organic Remains, which T have 
long, almost in vain attempted to press on the consideration of 
observers and writers on Natural History, are nevertheless capa- 
ble of such abundant proofs, that however long we may have been 
in arriving at them, they cannot fail J think, of sooner or later, 
gaining universal assent: but previous to which, a great deal more 
of research, and of precision and care must be bestowed, on the 
discrimination of the extinct organic Species, than they have yet 
received, in doubtful cases, even from Mr. Sowerby, who unques- 
tionably takes the lead in this interesting inquiry, in our country, 
wherein the same originated. 
When Naturalists first began to turn their attention to the Or- 
* See the Papers of mine on this subject in Nicholson’s Journal, vol. 30. 
p- 285, and vol. 32. p. 269. : 
ganic 
