441 



Other important circumstances respecting the situations in which these 

 fossils are found must also have excited your attention. From the inte- 

 grity of numerous delicate fossil shells, and from the congregation of 

 numerous similar animals in a fossil state, it has been evinced, that these 

 animals must have lived on the very spots in which they are now 

 found imbedded. It has been also shown, that these fossil remains are 

 found in those parts of the world in which no similar beings now exist, 

 and in climates in which it is presumed that they could not live ; that the 

 remains of numerous unknown plants are found in the neighbourhood 

 of coal, at considerable depths ; and that the remains of marine ani- 

 mals are found in very lofty mountains, as well as far beneath the surface 

 of the earth. 



The consideration of these circumstances must have filled your mind 

 with wonder, and have led you to regard with reverence these stupen- 

 dous proofs of the power of the Almighty Creator. But from the consi- 

 deration of these circumstances alone, but little information can be ob- 

 tained respecting the age or formation of this planet : to obtain any use- 

 ful knowledge on these subjects, it is necessary that the examination of 

 these fossil bodies should be connected with that of the strata in which 

 they are found. 



For calling the attention of geologists to this mode of directing their 

 inquiries, we are much indebted to Mr. William Smith, who, long since, 

 not only pointed out the necessity of ascertaining the fossils belonging to 

 each particular stratum, but also collected and preserved for the informa- 

 tion of others, specimens of numerous strata, with some of their peculiar 

 fossils. 



Without the hope of making any important addition to our knowledge 

 of these subjects, but merely with the wish of showing how beneficial our 

 inquiries may prove when thus connected, I will endeavour to ascer- 

 tain the proper strata of some of the fossils mentioned in this work. To 

 perform even this, I must avail myself of the observations made by the 

 gentleman above mentioned, and by Mr. John Farey, author of several 



VOL. III. 3 I. 



