314- Mr. Furey on Hazel Nuts found in Peat Bogs. 



leaving for others who have more, to examine and consider the 

 objections that may be urged against them. It has been proved 

 by Sir Humphry Davy and others, that the earths which com- 

 pose the surface or crust of our globe are not simple ele- 

 ments, but compound substances; for instance, — lime, alumine, 

 silex, &c., are compounded of metallic bases and oxygen : it is 

 also well known to chemists, that the oxides occupy more 

 space than the metals from which they are produced. 



If therefore the globe, in its original construction, was com- 

 posed of elementary substances, these would, particularly near 

 the surface, many of them enter into combination, according to 

 their chemical affinity, and produce the substances we now 

 meet with. This coating would be of considerable thickness, 

 and might for a long period be nearly if not totally covered 

 with water : at the same time there might be a gradual oxida- 

 tion of the metallic matter, which would produce the different 

 earths in succession, and would be simultaneously precipitated 

 with the remains of marine animals, and lay the foundation for 

 the stratified appearance of what now forms the surface of 

 the earth. 



The gradual oxidation of the metallic substance below would 

 naturally absorb and reduce the quantity of water, and at the 

 same time elevate the superincumbent strata already formed, 

 operating in a twofold manner to effect what has appeared so 

 difficult to account for ; namely, the great elevation of the re- 

 mains of marine animals above the surface of the ocean. The 

 force of expansion of the oxides, we can readily conceive, must 

 break and dislocate the former covering, producing all the 

 variety of veins and faults, which would be in after-ages filled 

 up, more or less, by infilti'ation of metallic and other sub- 

 stances. I am, yours truly, 



Leighton, Oct. 13, 1825. B. Bevan. 



MR. FAREY ON HAZEL NUTS FOUND IN PEAT BOGS. 



To the Editor of the Philosophical Magazi?ie and Jonrnal. 



Sir, 

 Having observed in p. 225 of your excellent Magazine, an 

 account of the hazel nuts lately found at Bonnington, and with 

 a laudable desire for the diffusion of knowledge preserved and 

 sent to you by Sir John Hay, I beg to confirm your account 

 of the state of these nuts*, by mentioning that I have ob- 



* The notice here alluded to by Mr. Farey was extracted from the Edin- 

 burgh PhilosophicalJournal, but the reference to that work was accidentally 

 omitted. — Edit. 



served 



