262 GENERAL REMARKS ON 



them than in that subsequent condition in which the 

 series of the oolithe was formed. There is no mys- 

 tery in these calcareous beds, or in this intermixture. 

 The colony of animals, wherever existing, formed 

 the limestone ; it was a less rapidly populous one at 

 its commencement than afterwards ; and thence are 

 the limestones more scanty below than above, com- 

 pared to the other associated strata : while, when it 

 was extirpated, from whatever causes, the deposition 

 of the land, always proceeding, formed the intervening 

 strata, separated into sand and clay in the usual man- 

 ner, until the re-establishment of a new colony enabled 

 a new calcareous bed to be formed. I have already 

 more than sufficiently explained the deposits of terres- 

 trial organic bodies in portions of this series. 



A still increasing population produces the superior- 

 ity of the oolithe series in calcareous strata ; while, in 

 other respects, the same reasoning applies as to the 

 intervening ones, under modifications which must be 

 made for each locality, and of which the whole might 

 be explained by adequate attention, from considering 

 the present condition of the earth at different points"; 

 its mountains, its seas, and its rivers. And as far as 

 any of its beds are truly oolithic, the modern forma- 

 tion of oolithes under the waters of the sea from recent 

 shells, offers a palpable and simple explanation, while 

 the former ones, as to terrestrial remains, equally apply. 



But this simplicity of explanation is about to cease, 

 with the termination, in Europe at least, of this series, 

 so enormous in depth, and thence occupying such an 

 incalculable period of ages in its production. And 

 that production being the result of a long period of 

 tranquillity or of uniformity of constitution and re- 

 pose, in the earth ; since no strata intervene among 

 the limestones of this series, to indicate aught but the 

 same consistent degradation of the supramarine rocks 



