[ 844 I 
I, Part of tm letters from J>r James Brewer 
to l>r Si oanc, concerning Eecfs of Oyfiei^fhells 
found near Reading in Barklhire. 
i^. 1699. 
I Ask your pardon that I am folate in performing my 
promife in fending you the Oyfter-ftells. As to the 
original of them/tis a provinee too nice and diflScult for 
me to folve. You fee they have the entire figure, forfBj 
and matter of Oyftec-fliells, and, no doubt, they are 
(uch. But how they ftiould come to the place where 
I dug for them, and where for fo many fueceeding 
Generations they have been found, I le^veyouand 
other Philofophers to determine : They do encompafs 
nigh 6 Acres of ground Juft above the Layre of thefe 
Oyfters there i$ a greenifli Earth, or rather Sand, and 
under them there is Chalk.. Sir, I have often feen in 
feveral Chalk-pits a few fcatter'd Oyfter-fhells. But in 
this place they are as it were one continued Bo- 
dy , and in an even line. Through the whole 
circumference between 5 and 6 Acres of ground.. 
I wifh at your leifure hours, that you would be fo kind 
to afford me a hne or two of your thoughts as to thefe 
Shells, and of the ufe you likewife promifed to acquaint 
me , that they might be in praftice more than common 
Alkalis. 
You know we have no Sea near us, and therefore it 
fcems the more ftrange,. how thefe Shells fliould be; 
placed in fuch a compafs of Ground 
