184 Dr. Fitton's Instnictions 



disclosed in the sides of ravines, — in the beds of rivers and 

 mountain-streams ; and these, especially where they cross the 

 direction of the strata, may be made, by careful examination, 

 to afford instructive sections. 



7. Among the occasional components of the strata, the re- 

 mains of organized bodies, — shells, corals, and other zoophytes, 

 — the bones and teeth of animals, — fossil wood, and the im- 

 pressions of vegetable stems, roots, or leaves, &c, are of the 

 greatest importance; affording generally the most marked 

 characters of the beds in which they occur. — These should, 

 therefore, be particularly sought after, and their relative 

 abundance or rarity in different situations noticed. The pe- 

 trifled bodies should, if possible, be kept united with portions 

 of the rock or matrix in which they are found ; and where 

 they are numerous, — in sand, clay, or any moist or friable 

 matrix, — it is in general better to retain a large portion of the 

 whole mass, to be examined afterwards, than to attempt their 

 separation at the time of collecting. 



8. The loose materials which are found above the solid rocks, 

 in the form of gravel, silt, rolled pebbles, &c, should be care- 

 fully distinguished from the solid strata upon which they rest. 

 And the more ancient of these loose materials, found on the 

 sides or summits of hills, &c, should be distinguished from 

 the recent mud, sand, and gravel, brought down by land-floods 

 or by rivers. The bones and teeth of animals are not unfre- 

 quently found in the more ancient gravel; and the collection 

 of these remains from distant quarters of the globe, is an ob- 

 ject of the greatest interest to geology. 



9. Besides a note of the locality, there ought, if possible, to 

 accompany every specimen, a short notice of its geological 

 circumstances ; as — 



Whether it be found in large shapeless masses, or in strata? 



If in strata, — what are the thickness, inclination to the ho- 

 rizon, and direction with respect to the compass, of the 

 beds? — [If these cannot be measured, an estimate should 

 always be recorded, while the objects are in view.] — Are 

 they uniform in dip and direction? — curved, or con- 

 torted? — continuous, or interrupted by fissures or veins? 



Is the whole cliff, or mass of strata in sight of uniform com- 

 position? — or does it consist of different kinds of stone? 



If the strata be different, — what is the order in which they 

 are placed above each other successively ? 



10. A label, distinctly written, should accompany every 

 specimen, stating its native place, its relative situation, &c. &c. 

 And these labels should be connected with the specimens im- 

 mediately, 



