. IL RELICS, into Min. Kingd. 27 



B. 12. The agent, by which the introduction of ex- 

 traneous fossils into mineral strata&c.,has been chiefly 

 brought about, is evidently -water i. e. of the ocean 

 of ancient lakes and inland-seas of rivers, cur- 

 rents, and modern lakes of local inundations of, 

 perhaps, the general deluge. 



a. 13. The ocean to the agency of which,, when 

 in a primary state, and during the first period, ( 9. j 

 is to be referred all deposits of sea shells f and other 

 marine bodies found in strata, which immediately 

 follow granitic rocks, or which dip under, but do not 

 alternate with strata, holding the remains of Jish or 

 plants. 



To the same agent, but more nearly approximat- 

 ing to its present state, f f during the second period 

 ( 10.) are to be ascribed all other accumulations of 

 organic bodies, in which marine remains make a 

 considerable part, and which are deposited in re- 

 gular, determinate beds of stone or other matter- 



Obs. The process by which these remains were 

 enveloped or surrounded by their present mineral 



f " Shell fish appear to be of all others the most ancient; per- 

 haps the reason might be that they could live in water more turbid 

 with heterogeneous ingredients, and more fouled with petrol, than 

 other fish, or because the sea was originally more salt." Kirw. G. 

 Essays, p. 30. note. 



If Some modem naturalists consider the envelopment of animals 

 and vegetables in mineral strata to be still carried on at the bottom 

 of the sea, under the present constitution of our planet among 

 these are Buffon and Dr. Hutton. The latter has assumed it as a 

 leading principle in his Theory of the Earth. 



