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XXIV. Mineralogical Obsermtions in Galloway* 

 By Dr Grierson. 



(Read 20th January 181 6. J 



The internal structure of the globe, pretty early 

 attracted attention. On penetrating its surface 

 to obtain the useful minerals, the singularity of 

 some appearances could not fail to be observed. 

 Shells and other organic remains, were discovered 

 in situations where they could not previously 

 have been expected. It was natural thence to 

 speculate on the manner in which these bodies 

 should have come there ; for to suppose them to 

 have been always so, or to have been originally 

 created in the state of waste and decay, in which 

 they were then found, seemed too absurd to be 

 admitted. This would have been equally un- 

 philosophical as to have supposed, that our pre- 

 sent peat-mosses were originally created full of 



VOL. II. B b 



