I^rof. Buckland’s Reply to Dr Fleming. 30^ 
cultivators of the science of geology, whose foundation-stone (as 
far as relates to the history of fossil animals) is laid by Cuvier on 
the most accurate analysisof the structure of recent skeletons, from 
which he argues most rigidly, as to that of the fossil species^; nor 
am I aware, that the imputation of ignorance of modern botany^ 
can be fairly laid to such illustrious names as those of Sternberg, 
Schlotheim, Brongniart and Rhode, from whose labours the sub- 
ject of fossil botany is now receiving illustrations ; and with respect 
to the history of the formation of peat-bogs, sand, and marl-beds, 
which Dr Fleming Specihes as points which have hitherto been too 
much neglected by geologists, I need only appeal to the accurate 
and able observations of Professor Jameson and Dr Macculloch, 
— to the copious, and, on these subjects, most judicious pages of 
Deluc, — to the voluminous folios of the Irish Bog Reports, — 
and to the numerous papers that occur in the Philosophical Trans- 
actions, — to shew, that the history of peat, sand, and marl, which 
Dr Fleming states ‘‘ to have been neglected as too recent for in- 
quiry or speculation,'’ has received its due share of attention 
from the most eminent writers that have yet occupied themselves 
with the study of the physical structure of the Earth. 
With respect to the matters at issue between Dr Fleming and 
rttyself, as it appears to me that his objections arise chiefly from 
a mistaken or imperfect view of the facts on which his arguments 
are founded, I beg to submit to his consideration, and that of 
the readers of your Journal, the following points, on which I 
consider his ideas to be erroneous ; forbearing to enter into the 
arguments he has derived from them, since, if the facts are mis- 
conceived, his conclusions will, of course, follow the fate of the 
preiilises from which they are deduced. 
1. Dr Fleming objects, that the distinctions I have drawn be- 
tween Post-diluvian and Diluvian deposits, — or, in other words, 
between local deposits, which can be referred to existing causes, 
and those more extensive collections of water-worn detritus, 
which have resulted from some single, and transient, and uni- 
* J’ai done du me preparer a ces recherches, par des recherches bien plus longues 
sur les animaux existans ; une revue presque generale de la creation actuelle pou» 
voit seule donnei un caractere de demonstration a mes resultats sur cette creation 
ancienne. — Cuvier, Recherches sur les Ossemens Fossiles, Discours Freliminaire, 
1821, vol. i. p. 1. 
