REMAINS IN THE DISTRICT OF PLAGENZA, 



247 



Organic remains from near Castello Arquaia, in the neighbour- 

 hood of the ancient Velieja, in the district of Placenza. 

 " A pretty extensive collection of shells. 

 " A small whale, entire. 



" A portion of another whale, of a larger species. 

 " The entire skeleton of an elephant, united together. 

 "The head of a rhinoceros, with some bones. 

 " Two skeletons of dolphins. 



" They were all found in a confined space, in the midst of marine 

 mud, deposited in a tranquil sea, at the present height of thirteen hun- 

 dred feet." The director adds, " This singular geological combina- 

 tion, comprehending organic vestiges of every latitude, resembles 

 that recently discovered in New Siberia, at Behring's Straits. Many 

 eminent writers have spoken of it ; among others, the brothers Bondi 

 were some of the first who noticed it ; and Signor Corlesi, a land- 

 ed proprietor at Castello Arquata, and author of ' Geological Essays 

 on the States of Parma also Signor Brochi, in his Sub-Apennine 

 Fossil Co7ichology.''^ 



The occurrence of the remains of large terrestrial and of marine 

 mammalia in the same deposition, may admit of an easy explanation, 

 by observing what has taken place in some parts of England. On 

 the Sussex coast, there was, at no remote period of history, an estu- 

 ary extending inland from Newhaven to near Lewes. This estuary 

 is now filled up, and forms a level meadow, through which the river 

 winds its way to the sea. It is not difficult to explain how the filling 

 up of the estuary was effected : the immense mass of loose pebbles 

 or shingles which lie upon the Sussex coast, change their position du- 

 ring violent storms, and are accumulated in new situations. A drift 

 of pebbles, forming a bank or bar near the mouth of the estuary, 

 would prevent the sudden return of the sea after each tide, and re- 

 tain the water, until it had deposited the mud and sand which it con- 

 tained. Thus, the estuary would gradually become shallower, and its 

 dimensions would contract from year to year. The waters of the 

 river and rivulets which flowed into the estuary would also contribute 

 their depositions of freshwater mud. 



By the joint operation of these causes, the estuaiy would be first 

 converted into a marsh ; and when the drainage was more complete, 

 this marsh was converted into a plain or meadow. By sinking be- 

 neath the soil, the various depositions of silt, sand and vegetable 

 matter, prove the means by which the estuary w^as filled. At a con- 

 siderable depth, large vertebrae of a whale where discovered, and 

 are now in the museum of Mr. Mantell, at Lewes. Instances of 

 whales entering estuaries at high tides, and being unable to return at 

 low water, are not of very unfrequent occurrence on the coast of 

 Great Britain. Let us suppose the sides of the hills bounding the 

 estuary near Newhaven to have afforded herbage for deer and oxen ; 

 their bodies or bones might be washed down into the estuary, and 

 ♦bus we should have all the conditions required for the intermixture 



