[ 114 -] 

 prize, that fo great a Number and Variety 

 of them fhould be conftantly met with in 

 the Strata of the Earth, in Mines and 

 other fubterranean Places, when no fuch 

 Shells are to be found in their recent 

 State ; thi^ cannot eafily be accounted 

 for, unlefs it be conjedlured, that the 

 Fifii which occupies the recent Shell, is 

 an Inhabitant of the deepeft Parts of the 

 Ocean, and that nothing lefs than the 

 Agitation occafioned by the univerfal De- 

 luge could remove it from its favourite 

 Concealment : If that be the Cafe, it is 

 no Wonder we find not this Shell in its 

 recent State. There is a fmall white Shell 

 Fifh of Barbadoes^ which feems truly a re- 

 cent Animal of this Genus ; and in the 

 Eaft Indies there is another finall and 

 greyilh, but the large and beautifully 

 marked ones are found only foflile. The 

 Snake-Stone is found of almoft all Sizes 

 in great Plenty in feveral Parts of England^ 

 particularly Tork/ldre, 



OJlracites^ 



