54 Mr. Smithson on Mr. Perm's Theory concerning [July, 



which it would at once yield and resist, was indispensable. 

 This exact condition would but rarely occur ; would, at least, 

 often not do it, and consequently bodies buried in the solid 

 rock must be frequent, if not most so. 



It is incredible that in every case the gas should have driven 

 away from the bodies the whole of the mud in contact with 

 them. Some of the mud must have insinuated itself between 

 the several individuals of the cluster, some have penetrated by 

 the mouth, by lacerations, into the cavity of the bodies, and 

 isolated pieces of rock must now occur among the bones, 

 bearing the impression of the parts with which they had been 

 in contact; as at Pompeii, indurated ashes presented the cast 

 of a woman's breasts. 



As the parts receded from the bodies, it would carry with it 

 some adhering fragments of them — bones, teeth, hair, feathers ; 

 and which would now be fixed to the sides and roofs of the 

 caves. 



Bodies which had been previously putrefying for twelve 

 months in a tropical temperature, would not probably have 

 still afforded, after their interment, sufficient gas for the sup- 

 posed purpose. From some experiments, made a great number 

 of years ago, on the decay of animal muscle confined over 

 mercury, I am inclined to believe, that in no case, when 

 secluded from oxygen, is any great volume of gas evolved 

 by it. Subjected to the imagined pressure, would the matters 

 of the gases have been able to expand to the elastic form? 

 Would they not rather have assumed the fluid one ? 



Under these circumstances, would the muscular part of the 

 bodies have entirely disappeared ? Would not some portion 

 of it have altered to adipocire ? In such a state some of it 

 must at least sometimes be met with. 



That fish have, in some cases, been inclosed in strata, in- 

 vested with all their muscular part, seems indubitable, from the 

 presence of the scales ; but they are scattered singly through 

 the stratum, and have blown up no caves round themselves. 



Indeed, the clustering of the quadrupeds during their voy- 

 age, appears to be by no means a certain event. If they sunk 

 below the surface, they would sink to different levels; borne 

 on the surface, they might assemble together, but no adherence 

 would take place between them, and upon the slightest impulse 

 they would part again. 



If the bodies were deposited with their integuments, the 

 bones must be nearly all of them entire. How should they 

 have become broken, enveloped in a soft mass, rendered ad- 

 ditionally elastic by the gases of a putrefying state, and float- 

 ing on a sea which, high above all land, bore them out of the 

 reach of every means of concussion, especially become shivered 

 as are of those of the cave? The force which could thus 



