[ 33* ] 



Again, the fame writer in defcribing a foffil, "in (Kape fo like a 

 " mark's tooth that one tooth cannot be liker to another ; yet if it 

 *' be fuch, then by comparing thofe in the head of a mark, that to 

 * { which this belonged muft have been about 36 feet in length e .'* 



Lhuyd, in his additions to Camden's Britannia h , fpeaks in 

 the fame manner with regard to the fuppofed impreffions of plants 

 found in coal and other pits, Impreffions of mofles, and to the 

 full as itrong a refemblance as the foffil plants, are allowed by 

 many of the virtuofi to be lufufes\ but I cannot conceive why it 

 is not as difficult to effect an imitation of the one as of the 

 other. 



As we cannot account exactly how every pebble we tread 

 upon is formed, it may by many be thought prefumptuous to 

 make this endeavour, with regard to foffil bodies ; though fuch 

 as attribute them to a general deluge, certainly fall under this 

 blame (if it is deferred) as much as thofe who affign them to 

 other caufes. 



I do not pretend to produce my own hypothecs in regard to 

 the formation of many of thefe fubterraneous bodies, with any 

 degree of confidence ; but I have at leaft perfuaded myfelf that it 

 may deferve lb me attention. 



I (hall therefore venture to fubmit, that fubterraneous infects 

 may have occafioned many of thefe itrong refemblances (or 

 lufufes) either by their claws or antennae, or perhaps by 

 emitting a liquor which may both excavate and difcolour 

 the itone, or other body, on which they may happen to 

 work. 



The firft objection to this conjecture will probably be, that 

 proof is wanting of the exiltence of fuch infects, and which I 



« Ibid. p. 257. h Art. Flintfhire. 



U u 2 admit 



