DISTURBANCES OF THE STRATA. 17 



As we have thus proceeded through the descending scale of 

 geological and palseontological creations, we have seen tha-t 

 animal and vegetable organisms, whose remains are entombed 

 in the rocks, become more and more simple. In the lowest 

 of the fossiliferous rocks, the principal animal remains are of 

 the class called the Radiata, which somewhat resemble plants, 

 and form the connecting link with the Vegetable Kingdom ; 

 while the plants are mainly of a simple species of sea-weed, 

 called fucoides. It is, however, presumable that more minute, 

 and still more simple species preceded these, but of which, in 

 consequence of the delicacy of their texture, all traces have 

 become obliterated. 



Immediately beneath the fossiliferous rocks, we came to 

 thick strata of clay slate, hornblende slate, mica slate, gneiss, 

 etc., which contain no organic remains, and are called the 

 Primary Stratified Hocks. Immediately beneath these lost 

 strata, lies the Granite, which is unstratified, and appears to 

 be the original and parent rock, from the comminuted and 

 pulverized materials of which, combined with materials 

 descending from the atmosphere, and evolved from the central 

 mass of the earth, all the stratified rocks were subsequently 

 formed. 



Some of my readers, who have not made geology a par- 

 ticular subject of study, may be disposed to inquire whether 

 any one has thus actually digged into the earth to the depth 

 of over twenty miles, and ascertained the character and order 

 of geological formations to be as I have described them ? I 

 answer, no ; nor would such a mode of exploration have been 

 necessary. Owing to the immense and frequent disturbances 

 to which the earth's crust has been subjected, in different 

 ages, from the explosive forces of internal fires, all the older 

 strata have, in various places, been broken, and their upheaved 



