106 Observations Concerning Fossil Organic Remains:- 



the primitive granite, the great frame-work of the caril* 

 at that period, — are destitute of every trace of fossil re- 

 mains. This is the distinguishing trait of the rocks of this 

 period, and widely separates them from those which succeed- 



The period succeeding that of the primitive, less ancient, 

 yet very remote, begins to present us with fossil remains ; 

 vegetables, zoophytes, molluscous and crustaceous animals 

 — entirely different from the species we now see, though pos- 

 sessing some analogy to our genera. 



If we advance in this enquiry concerning the traces of 

 life, and compare for example, the vegetable remains of dif- 

 ferent strata — the Arundinacecp^ the Filices, &c. of the coal 

 formation ; the Exogenites, the Endogenites, the Cahnites, 

 the Lijcopodites, the Phyllites, of the calcaire grossier, we 

 shall perceive that they all belong to a former world. 



Among the animals, the Ichthiosauri, the Pleisiosauri, Iho 

 Palaeotheria, the Anoplotheria, of a more recent period, are 

 so many incontestible proofs of this difference, and therefore 

 of their dissimilarity with the beings of our own time. How- 

 ever, a greater resemblance is visible, in those epochs which 

 approach the period in which our globe has undergone that 

 disastrous catastrophe, commonly denominated the Deluge, 

 Among the animals existing at that epoch, and those of the 

 present day, there is a much greater analogy. Then, the 

 organized world was composed of beings whose resem- 

 blance to the genera at present existing, is more distinct : 

 and on this account, it is reasonable to expect a much great- 

 er conformity between living beings, and those fossil remains 

 which are found in diluvian deposits, and in such as had their 

 origin nearly at the same epoch. 



As constant as is the relation between the antiquity oj 

 strata^ and the similarity and dissimilarity of fossil remains 

 with living beings, so much the less, or not at all, does there 

 exist a similarity of climate, between these fossils and those 

 of the living beings which they most resemble. Those which 

 show this resemblance to existing animals, among the her- 

 biferous pachydermata, are the elephants, the rhinoceroses, 

 the hippopotamuses, &c. ; and among the carnivorous, the 

 hyenas ; all of which exist at present in warm climates. We 

 are then embarrassed by a singular phenomenon, since the 

 remains of these animals are so widely dispersed, both in 

 the old, and in the new world. Their great number, and 

 the circumstances under which they are found, seem to 



