i66 Mr. Ray to Dr. Robinfbn, 



liorum fir ages feriefve arena ad crajjitiem uln<e £5? ultrm 

 interpofita. Erant autem tefi£ variorum conchyliorum^ 

 omnes ab invicem dijiinSi^e^ nec cuiquam lapidi impa£l<e^ 

 adeb ut feparatim omnia manibus trattari & dignofci po~ 

 tuerint. Effecerat hoc arena pura^ nullo limo lutove 

 intermixta^ qtite conchyliorum teftas confervaverat per 

 mult a fecula integras. Interea verb diuturnitate tempo- 

 ris omnes ijl<e teft<e erant in albiffimam calcem facile re- 

 folubiles tanquam vehementid ignis calcinate. 



Now, if the Shells themfelves, not petrified, be 

 found in fuch Plenty lying in Beds, and that near the 

 Tops of high Mountains, a great Argument it is, 

 that what Stones we find of like Form, and in like 

 Places, were anciently Shells too. This Argument 

 is fo much the more confiderable,*becaufe it fruftrates, 

 one main Objection againft: our Opinion, viz. be* 

 caufe no Account can be given how the very Shells 

 Ihould be brought to the Tops of Mountains, they 

 being fo high above the Level of the Sea : For when 

 as we fee the thing done, it is vain to difpute againft 

 it from the Unlikelihood of the doing it- But yet 

 we may give the fame Account of the Original of 

 of this Bed of Shells, perhaps an 100 Foot above the 

 Level of the Surface of the Sea a as we have elfe- 

 where given of that Bed of Sand and Cockle- Shells 

 found in finking a W<ell at Jmfterdam y at perchance 

 near 100 Foot Depth below the prefent Bottom of 

 the Sea 5 to wjt^ that both the one and the other 

 were of old Time the bottom of the Sea, and after- 

 wards covered by feveral Coats, or Floors of Earth, 

 brought down from the Mountains in Land-Floods y 

 the leverai Beds or Floors to be fcen in fuch broken 

 Mountains, being the feveral Settlings of particular 

 Floods. 



2. Some other Bodies, befides Shells, commonly 

 efteemed Stones, there are found in the Earth, re- 

 fembling the Teeth, and other Bones of Fifties, which 

 are fo manifeftly the very Things they are thought 



only 



