THE GEOLOGIST 



APRIL, 1859, 



ON THE STRUCTURES PRODUCED BY THE CURRENTS 

 PRESENT DURING THE DEPOSITION OF STRATIFIED 

 ROCKS. 



By H. C. SoRBY, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S., etc. 



It is now several years since I first became convinced that a diligent 

 study of the various structures produced by the action of the currents 

 present during the formation of stratified rocks would lead to the 

 knowledge of many very valuable and remarkable facts in connexion 

 with physical geology and ancient physical geography. Since then I 

 have never willingly lost any opportunity of determining the direction 

 and character of the currents present during the deposition of rocks 

 of every age, and of accumulating information on every kind of sub- 

 ject that could throw light upon the inquiry. I must now have, in 

 my note-books, not less than twenty thousand, recorded observations, 

 many of which I have not been able to make use of hitherto, for want 

 of sufficient points of comparison ; and, although I am most willing 

 to admit that the subject is quite in its infancy, and that I am a 

 mere student of nature, ready to modify my own opinions or to adopt 

 others which would explain the facts in a more satisfactory manner, 

 yet some of the facts are so definite and distinct, and I have verified 

 them in so many localities, over sufficiently extensive districts, as to 

 warrant the formation of definite conclusions. We all protest against 

 theories without facts ; but to accumulate a great number of facts 

 without attempting such explanations as would unite them into a 

 complete and consistent whole would be not less unphilosophical. 



VOL. II. ■ L 



