( 19« ) 
Upon the fame Bed there are alfo little Shells, and ma- 
ny round Knobs proper to that fort of Dog-Fijh^ (/) 
which feem to be beginning Teeth, called by xh^MaheJi^ 
Serpents Eyes. 
From thefe Obfervations our Author proceeds to phi- 
lofophize ^upon the Phenomena; and taking it for 
granted that thefe Land-fliells are the remains of a De- 
luge, he enquires into the contexture of that Soil where- 
in they are chiefly found. His Habitation being at 
Mejftna, gave him better opportunities to make his en- 
quiries there : In purfuance of which he obferves that 
the Mountains near that City confift of Strata, which 
lie in this Order, jfr/? Gravel, then mtdlhg Sand^ then 
very fine Sand : Thix the Lines defcribed by Strata^ 
are all Horizontal^ with a fmall declivity towards the 
Sea ; which declivity going thro' all the Strata^ proceeds 
in his opinion from the original inclination of the Floor 
or Bafis on which thefe Strata were at firft laid : That 
after three Layers of Sand and Gravel of different fine- 
nefles, come three other Layers in the fame Order with 
the former,- firft Gravel, then coarfer, then finer Sand 
again, and fo on feveral times one after another. 
This he fuppofes to have proceeded from repeated 
Tides : From whence he concludes, that the Water 
coming with great violence, fuftained whatfoever came 
in its way ; but upon irs going off, the force abating, 
it let fall the terreftrial matter that fubfided according 
to itsfpecifick Gravity ; and that thefe repeated Sow- 
ings and ebbings of the Water l^pned daring fome one 
very great Inundation, the Time whereof, or its Caufe, 
he does not determin. 
He obferves thatihefe Shells are not found certaioly 
in fuch or fuch particular places, but cafually feme iiere, 
(bme there, juft as the rolling of the Waters hapned to 
carry them, and accordingly they fubfided, where-ever 
theftrength of the Waters Motion, by which they were 
buoyed up, abated. G g z He 
