THEORY OF THE EARTH. 



These ideas have haunted, I may almost say 

 have tormented me, during my researches among 

 fossil bones, the results of which 1 have lately pre- 

 sented to the public; researches which embrace 

 but a very small part of those phenomena of the 

 age preceding the last general revolution of the 

 globe, and which are yet intimately connected 

 with all the others. It was almost impossible that 

 the desire should not arise of investigating the 

 general mass of these phenomena, at least as they 

 occur in a limited space around us. My excellent 

 friend, M. Brongniart, in whose mind other stu- 

 dies excited the same desire, had the complais- 

 ance to associate me with himself in the task ; 

 and it is thus that we have laid the first founda- 

 tions of our labours upon the environs of Paris. 

 But this work, while it still bears my name, has 

 become almost entirely that of my friend, from 

 the infinite attention which he has bestowed, since 

 the first conception of our plan, and since our 

 journeys, upon the profound investigation of the 

 objects, and the perfecting and arranging of the 

 whole. I have placed it, with M. Brongniart's 

 consent, in the second part of my " Recherches," 

 in that in which I treat of the fossil bones of our 

 neighbourhood. Although apparently relating 

 only to a rather limited extent of country, it af- 

 fords numerous results, which are applicable to 

 geology in general, and, in this point of view, it 



