Observations on some Parts of a Paper by Mr. De la Beche. 189 



vein while empty, and afterwards surrounded by the present 

 contents of the vein. 



The fact mentioned by Mr. Witham, of other trunks being 

 discoverable in each cheek of the vein, and that of large fossil 

 trees of the same species being frequently found standing up- 

 right in sandstone strata connected with seams of coal, cer- 

 tainly favour his view of the subject; and it is further strength- 

 ened by the circumstance that about that part of the series 

 of lead measures to which the grit sill belongs, there are 

 frequently found thin coal seams accompanied by numerous 

 vegetable impressions. 



Hoping these observations will promote further inquiry into 

 this curious matter, I am, Gentlemen, yours, &c. 



Lowbyer-AIston, Jan. 15, 1830. H. L. Pattinson. 



XXVII. Observatio7is on some Parts of Mr. De la Beche's 

 Paper on the Class'fication of the European Rocks. By 

 A Correspondent. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Annals. 

 Gentlemen, 

 "C^OR some time since Mr. De la Beche's paper On the 

 -'- Classification of Rocks appeared in your Journal, I have 

 wished to make a few inquiries concerning it; but my time 

 having been much taken up during the last three months, I have 

 not had an opportunity of doing so before. With regard to 

 Mr. D.'s preliminary observations, it must be confessed by 

 every one, that there is no matter in geology of greater im- 

 portance than the being able to offer a satisfactory answer to 

 the question, — Can we in distant countries recognise deposits' 

 as similar to our own by their organic contents, and consider 

 them as established portions of beds in our own quarter? 

 which involves the question put by the Baron Cuvier in his 

 DiscoursPreliminaire, — " Are there certain animals and plants 

 peculiar to certain strata and not found in others?" (Jameson, 

 p. 47). Mr. D. considers the subject very forcibly, and not only 

 states with truth how little has been yet done towards that an- 

 swer by observations of the earth's surface, but in great measure 

 shows that we must answer it in the negative, if we take into 

 consideration the present distribution of organized beings on 

 our globe. But can he in accordance with these statcnncnts 

 agree in the many instances which we are continually having 

 presented to us, of persons first assuming this (juestion as an- 

 swered in the aflirinalivc from no wider induction than this 



country 



