IV PREFACE. 



the commencement of my undertaking, appeared 

 plausible and consistent (d). On this head, how- 

 ever, it is unnecessary to trouble the reader. I 

 shall, therefore, merely give, in this place, a general 

 sketch of those positions, which the present work 

 receives as permanent ones ; and on which, it is con- 

 cluded, the study of extraneous fossils or reliquia 

 must ultimately be fixed. 



1. All natural bodies without life, found on or 

 beneath the surface of the earth , and which are not 

 susceptible of putrefaction, belong to the fossil king- 

 dom Such bodies are either Reliquia or Minerals. 



In the definition of fossils usually given, they 

 are stated to be " bodies destitute of an organic 

 structure." This definition will not apply in many 

 instances ; for, though all fossils may be said to be 

 unorganized, according to the common acceptation 

 of the term, they certainly are not all destitute of 

 the structure which distinguishes an organized body. 

 This being admitted, however, it follows, that some 

 line must be drawn, between animal and vegetal 



(d) V. Tables of an Arrangement of Extraneous Fossils 

 published in the first number of " Derbyshire Petrifactions." 1793- 



