124 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1704. 



druids procured them, and sold them among our northern Britons for stones of 

 nriiraculous efficacy, against perils by fire and water ; persuading the vulgar that 

 they were generated in cocks*-knees; as thousands in the Highlands believe at 

 this day. 



I was surprised that so many fossils, found in Essex, were scarcely distinguish- 

 able from sea shells: for the case is otherwise in those places I searched. 

 We have indeed about Oxford, one or two fossil shells of a testaceous sub- 

 stance; but in colour they differ farther from those of the sea, than the 

 Essex fossils do, where they are sometimes imbedded in solid stone: which 

 takes off any objection some might offer, of their being an accidental scatter- 

 ing of gulls, crows, &c. on the Harwich cliffs. 



Concerning Harwich Cliffst and the Fossil Shells found there, liy Mr. Sam. Dale. 



N°'291, p. 1568. 



Harwich Cliff is a sort of promontory, which divides Orwel Haven from the 

 jestuarium contained between that and Walton Nase: it is situated near a 

 quarter of a mile distant to the south of the town, and contains many acres 

 of land: its greatest height, from the strand or beach to the top, is 40 or 50 

 feet. At the bottom of this cliff is a stratum of clay, which is succeeded by 

 another of stone^ each about a foot thick; in this stratum of stone are imbedded 

 divers shells (though but thinly) as well of the turbinate as bivalve kind, and 

 also pieces of wood and sticks. Over this are divers strata of bluish clay, about 

 the height of 20 feet: this clay has pyrites or copperas stones sticking in it, 

 but I could observe no shells. Above this are likewise divers strata, 

 which reach to within about 2 feet of the surface; some of which are only of 

 fine sand, others small stones and gravel, mixed with fragments of shells, and 

 in others small pebbles are mixed ; and it is in some of these last mentioned 

 strata, that the fossil bivalve and turbinate shells are imbedded, which lie pro- 

 miscuously together: the strata with the shells observe no order in their lying, 

 being sometimes higher and sometimes lower in the cliff; and sometimes 2 or 

 3 one above another, with other strata of sand, fragments and gravel between. 

 Above all these is a covering of common sandy earth, which is about 2 feet 

 thick; in some places of which are veins of a species of osteocolla, though 

 more tender than osteocolla officinarum, which is brought from Germany: 

 this I have adventured to call osteocolla Anglicana; which incrusts about small 

 strings like the fibres of the roots of trees; it is of various sizes, and sends 

 out branches here and there; but it is so tender, as not to be got out of the 

 earth in any large pieces. Whether it appears above the earth like the German, 

 I never could discover. 



