C 1414 ) 
The Hec r Peter Valkenier had prefented me formerly 
with a large piece of an Oyjler -Shell, which was found 
upon the high Mountains of Switzerland, where it had 
lain, in the Opinion of fome Perfons, ever fince the Flood j 
this Shell was not White, but rather of a dark Grey 5 ic 
had been fcaled or worn away very thin, and in the Ca- 
vity where the Filh lay, there was a little piece of ano- 
ther Oyfier-Shell , as it were cemented to it, and when I 
feparated it with fome violence, there lay a yellowifh 
Clay in feveral little Holes or Pits in the Oyfier-Shell. 
I broke off a little piece of the faid Shell, and making 
it red hot, threw it into clean Rain Water, and then ob- 
served that rnoft of the Particles,that were feparated from 
one another, were like a white Cha'lk $ and I could per- 
ceive ia the fpace of a Minute, that upon the Superfices 
of the Water there was an exceeding thin Scum, which 
from time to time grew thicker, and which I feparated 
feveral times from the Water 5 but it appeared to me to 
be nothing elfe than coagulated fait Particles, which af- 
ter two or three Days time were not only grown much 
larger, but in fome fe& of them I difcovered as exadt fi- 
gures, as I mentioned before in the firft Oyfier-Shell. 
Mow, fince an Oyfier-Shell, had lain fo many Years in 
the Earth, and remained there without being difpofed to 
Corruption, ’tis plain that the prefervation thereof was 
owing to thofe fix’d fait Particles, of which it was part- 
ly compofed, and which could be no otherways divided 
than by Fire. • 
Delft, Ueeember 18 , 1705 . 
VI. Port 
