The Natural Hijiory 



Man of them went away diflatisfied ^ or 

 doubting whether thefe are really the 

 very Exuvis of Sea-fiihes or not. Nay, 

 which is iBuch more to my purpofe, 

 fome of the moft eminent of thofe very 

 Gentlemen who formerly were doubts 

 ful in this Matter, and rather inclina- 

 ble to believe that thefe were natural 

 Mioeralsj and who had wrote in de- 

 fence of that Opinion, do notwith- 

 llanding upon ftriO: and repeated In- 

 fpeftion of thele Bodies in my Colle- 

 Q:ion, and upon farther Enquiry, and 

 procuration of plain and undterd Shells 

 from feveral parts of this Ifland, fully 

 afient to me herein, and are now con- 

 vinced that thefe are the fpoils and re- 

 mains of Sea- Animals. And, being 

 thus fatisfied, fuch is the Ingenuity of 

 thefe worthy Perfbns, and fb great 

 their Affeftion to Truth, when, where, 

 and by whomfoever manifefted, that 

 they have perfonally requefted me to 

 publifli my Thoughts in order to the 

 fuller clearing of this matter. But to 

 proceed. 



Thar although I can pair^ with Sea- 

 Shells, feveral of thefe Foiiil ones that 

 thefe Gentlemen have pronounc\l alto- 

 gether unlike ^ny thing that the Salt- 



Water 



