280 



that they seem to point out most decidedly a considerable want of 

 agreement between the inhabitants of the former and of the present 

 world. It appears that of these zoophytes, which, perhaps, should be 

 arranged under two genera, encrinus and pentacrinus, upwards of 

 twenty species are known in a mineralized state ; but that, incalcula- 

 bly numerous as these animals must have been, not a single fragment 

 of any individual, of any of the numerous species belonging to the 

 genus encrinus, has ever yet been seen in a recent state. Two or 

 three fragments of pentacrini have indeed been discovered, but whe- 

 ther exactly agreeing with any of the fossil species, I have not been 

 able to ascertain. 



No stronger proof need be required of the sea having long covered 

 this globe, than the various mineralized remains of zoophytes, which 

 have been found in different parts of the world, imbedded at conside- 

 rable depths and at very great elevations, in some of the loftiest lime* 

 stone mountains. But it may be argued, that although the marine 

 origin of these remains be admitted, and although they are found thus 

 imbedded, still it is not yet proved that the sea has rested on the 

 parts where these fossil remains have been found ; since they might 

 have been brought there by floods from distant parts. But that 

 these animals dwelt, and perished on the identical spots, where they 

 are now found, in a mineralized state, may be fairly, and I trust, un- 

 questionably, inferred from the circumstances of the congregation of 

 similar animals, and of their bearing but few marks of external 

 violence ; since, had they been thus transported from distant regions, 

 individuals of similar species would have been separated, and scarcely 

 any individual, except of very strong fabric, would have been found, 

 that had not suffered material injury. 



Reverting to what has been remarked of corals, that it is not very 

 frequent that the superior external face of the coral is found in our 

 fossil specimens, it might be thence remarked, that this was most pro- 

 bably the result of attrition, during the conveyance by the waves from 



