2994 Fishes. 



to have even a suspicion of their existence. But the time at length 

 came when it was the pleasure of the Creator, that access should be 

 had to these most extraordinary and most interesting records ; that 

 they should be brought to light from the gloom in which they had lain 

 so long ; that they should communicate decisive although most un- 

 expected intelligence of what had been going on in our planet from 

 the morning of its existence; and that they should furnish a new 

 theme for admiration of him, by whom, in the language of Scripture, 

 all things were made very good. And the feature, perhaps, which in 

 a scientific view distinguishes most greatly the now expiring half of 

 the present century, is the progress which has been made by man in 

 that portion of the history of the world, which has reference to a 

 period previous to his own creation. 



Among the wonderful volumes, of which we are speaking, may be 

 regarded as one of the most ancient that which is termed the " old 

 red sand-stone formation." In this great formation there are three 

 principal beds, or divisions, each of which is characterized by one or 

 more fossils peculiar to itself, along with some which it may have in 

 common with the other beds, and with other formations. To the for- 

 mation of which we are speaking, the attention of the scientific and 

 even of the literary world, such are the popular graces of his style, 

 has been largely directed by Mr. Hugh Miller, so justly celebrated 

 for his extent of geological knowledge, his acuteness of observation, 

 and his uncommon, most graphical, and even poetical powers of de- 

 scription. It is, in an especial manner, to the productions of the 

 lowest of the three beds now mentioned, that his researches have 

 been detected. Of this bed, the characteristic fossils are, as is well 

 known, ichthyolites {Jish-stones), or petrified fishes, of a very unusual 

 and peculiar form ; and the localities where they have been found 

 are three, viz., Caithness, Cromarty, and the parish of Gamrie in 

 Banffshire. On the farm of Findon, and in the parish just named, a 

 locality of this description has been famous for more than twenty 

 years ; and the fossils which have, principally speaking, been obtained 

 from it, are specimens of various species of the Coccosteus or berry- 

 bone, and of the Pterichthys or wing-fish. This locality has been 

 visited by not a few of the eminent geologists of our own day ; and, 

 till of late, it was the only one which was known in the parish. Some 

 time ago, however, the Rev. George Harris was appointed assistant to 

 Mr. Wilson, the minister of Gamrie; and being one of the few indivi- 

 duals, at least in this part of the country, who would appear to take 

 pleasure in making themselves acquainted with the animated beings 



