570 
To return to the geology of Norfolk. In his descriptions of the 
Crag ho notices “ the apparent agreement in the gregarious habits 
of the original occupiers of these shells [called in those days 
rejectamenta] with the recent mollusca, confining them to 
particular spots or habitats.” And in his remarks on chalk flints, 
lie maintains that they, “ by chemical attraction, congregated them- 
selves into the nodular and tabular forms under which they appear.” 
lie considered their generally regular occurrence and occasional 
appearance in oblique veins, to be antagonistic to their animal 
origin ; for in reference to the former, he remarked on the parallel 
cases of “geodes" [septaria] in the London and Kimeridge clays. 
At tho same time the huge cylindrical Hints called “ Paramoudras,” 
were included as fossil sponges, both in the ‘ Geology of Norfolk,’ 
and in the ‘ Synoptical Table.’ 
No less than five hundred and twenty-seven species of fossils 
were enumerated from the various strata of Norfolk ; of these 
many were new, and were named and figured by the author, 
although unfortunately he never published descriptions of them — 
a want which has prevented some of them from being adopted, for 
the figures were not in all cases sufficiently definite. 
It would occupy too much time were I to dwell more fully upon 
this work, which is well known to all students of Norfolk geology. 
But I may add that his remarks upon the denudation of the coast, 
and especially his quotation of the opinion of one of our greatest 
geologists, that Cromer would be destroyed in about forty years, 
seem to have created some little consternation at the time.* Thus 
on July 3rd, 1833, he writes to the editor of the ‘Norwich 
Mercury ’ to allay the “ unnecessary alarm,” and to point out a 
plan which he thought would remove the evil, lie says : “ I am 
disposed to think that by cutting down the cliff to form an inclined 
plane, the sea would run up it in high tides and gales, and deposit 
a layer of sand and pebbles, instead of battering them down as it 
docs in their present state. I have lately conversed with Mr. Win. 
Smith, the geologist and surveyor,! who from his long residence in 
* Hudson Gurney, writing to S. Woodward (February 13th, 1S24), says, 
" I saw Bucklaml also, the geologist, last night .... lie maintains that the 
church and half the Town of Cromer will be in the sea in less than 40 years.” 
t Uncle of Prof. John Phillips, F.R.S., and known as “Strata Smith,” 
the father of English Geology. 
