IDEA OF A GEOLOGICAL rOBMATIOtf. 137 



The existence of a dynamic power, which slowly elevates 

 the land above the water, has been proved by the gradual 

 rising of the shores of the Grulf of Bothnia, the northern 

 coast of Sweden, of Denmark, and other parts of Scandinavia, 

 as ascertained by Sir C. Lyell ; and that of the south of Italy, 

 by Professor Mccolini, of Naples. 



Again, sands are deposited on sea-shores, and are borne 

 inland, where they form extensive accumulations, and over- 

 whelm considerable tracts of land. If these sands are satu- 

 rated with water containing lime, they become converted 

 into sandstone. 



Among other instances in the British Isles, the ancient 

 town of Bannow, in Ireland, called the Irish Herculaneum, 

 has thus been buried in sand. The JLrmoricain, of Brest, 

 states, " that recent gales of wind have displaced a moun- 

 tain of sand, on the coast of Crozon, near Brest, and exposed 

 to view the remains of a village, and a church surrounded 

 by a churchyard. The oldest inhabitant of the country," 

 adds the journalist, " does not recollect having ever heard 

 of the existence of this maritime Pompeii." 



In addition to these mechanical causes, there are vital 

 agencies, which are mainly instrumental in the production 

 of new deposits. The coral polype is incessantly at work 

 beneath the waves, constructing reefs, and building them up 

 to the surface, where they constitute new islands, the 

 junction of which forms fresh continents for the habitation 

 of future races of plants and animals. 



IDEA or A GEOLOGICAL FORMATION. It is, perhaps, 

 scarcely possible to convey to the beginner a more complete 

 idea of a geological formation, than to conceive an existing 

 ocean the Pacific, for instance by the elevation of its 

 bed, changed to dry land, since we should thus witness 

 all the varied phenomena observable in the formations of 

 the earth, and in the mineralised beds of its primeval seas. 

 At those points where its largest rivers discharge their 

 waters into the ocean, we should find deposits of silt and 

 mud analogous to the finely laminated clays or marls of our 

 ancient strata. Its calcareous springs would, in numerous 

 instances, cement many of the deposits strewed over its floor 

 to the consistency of stone, and would convert its fragmen- 

 tary corals and broken shells to beds of limestone. At other 



