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In defcribing thefe bodies, we fliall be obliged to 
make the belt conjectures we can of fome of them 
only ; for feveral are fufficiently obvious to every natu- 
ralilt, and eafily known by comparing them to fuch 
recent fruits, as are frequent enough among us. Some 
of them are abfolutely exotics ; and indeed they are 
all rare and curious, and, in my humble opinion, well 
worth the notice of the Royal Society. 
Dodtor Woodward’s catalogue *, which is fo ample 
and full of all kinds of foffil bodies, has only a very 
few fruits ; and thefe are only fome hazle nuts found 
in different places, a few pine-cones, andlaryxes; and 
one fruit, which was taken for an unripe nutmeg. 
In this collection before us they are all very different, 
and fuch as have not been feen before. 
It will not be amifs, in this place, to give a Ihort 
detail of fuch bodies as are capable of either being 
petrified themfelves, or of leaving their impreffions 
in (tony matter. By being petrified, is meant being im- 
pregnated with Itony, pyritical, or any other metal- 
line or fparry matter ; for there are inumerable fpeci- 
mens, wherein all thefe are apparent. 
Testaceous and Crustaceous Animals. 
The Ihelly matter of thefe is of fo compaCt and dry 
a nature, that they will endure for ages : and if in a 
foil or bed where moifture has accefs, they will receive 
Itony matter into their pores, and become ponderous 
in proportion to the quantity imbibed. If in a dry 
* Since my writing this difcourfe, Dr. Mafon informs me, that 
thefe are found no other than recent nuts and laryxes. 
place 
