Remote from their Native Beds. 209 



includes the partial collection of gravel at the foot of torrents, 

 and of mud at the mouths, and along the course of rivers ; this 

 partial collection of gravel, mud, or sand, being distinguished 

 by Professor Buckland, from the first class, by the name of 

 Alluvium. Thus, we are said to have deposits either of Dilu- 

 vium or a? Alluvium, — the first of these being referable to the 

 action of an universal deluge, the latter (or the alluvium) to 

 that of existing causes. Into the reasonableness of this view, 

 it is not my proper business at present to inquire ; nor is the 

 individual who may be inclined to follow up the researches of 

 Mr Buckland, obliged to admit that the evidence which has 

 been adduced is perfectly conclusive. The validity of the 

 theory must rest upon a much greater number of observations 

 than we at present possess ; and, in the meantime, it is less 

 the duty of the geologist to contend for the speculative dis- 

 tinctions, which a far too limited sphere of research has pre- 

 maturely suggested, than simply to commit to record all ap- 

 pearances of transported materials which occur either in the 

 form of jrravel, or which are imbedded in loam. Under this 

 impression, therefore, the following notice on the subject is 

 now submitted to the Society. 



Professor Buckland has prominently adverted to the very 

 remarkable deposit, considered by him as diluvial, which 

 is to be found on the east coast of England ; this consists, 

 in general, of a tenacious blue clay. I have examined 

 that of Yorkshire with some degree of attention. Innumer- 

 able fragments of primitive rocks are imbedded in it, which, 

 it is supposed, cannot be identified with any that exist in 

 Great Britain, but are referable to those of Norway. This 

 assertion, however, is unsatisfactory, unless it can be shown 

 that the fragments thus dispersed have (like those of the vici- 

 nity of Edinburgh, which were the subject of Sir James Hall's 

 truly philosophical paper) been, bona fide, made the subject 

 of comparison. Whether this has been actually done or not, 

 we are by no means informed. In order, then, that a compa- 

 rison of this kind may be carefully instituted, I shall now no- 

 tice a deposit of loam, (to which Professor Buckland would 

 not have the least hesitation in assigning the name of diluvial,) 

 the imbedded stony fragments of which appear derivable, not 

 vol.. ir. xo. i'i ! Arnn. 1825. i" 



