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that they seem to point out most decidedly a considerable want of 
agreement between the inhabitants of the former and of the present 
world. It appears that of these zoophytes, which, perhaps, should be 
arranged under two genera, encrinus and pentacrinus, upwards of 
twenty species are known in a mineralized state ; but that, incalcula- 
bly numerous as these animals must have been, not a single fragment 
of any individual, of any of the numerous species belonging to the 
genus encrinus has ever yet been seen in a recent state. Two or 
three fragments of pentacrini have indeed been discovered, but whe- 
ther exactly agreeing with any of the fossil species I have not been able 
to ascertain. 
No stronger proof need be required of the sea having long covered 
this globe than the various mineralized remains of zoophytes which 
have been found in different parts of the world, imbedded at conside- 
rable depths and at very great elevations, in some of the loftiest lime- 
stone mountains. But it may be argued that although the marine 
origin of these remains be admitted, and although they are found thus 
imbedded, still it is not yet proved that the sea has rested on the 
parts where these fossil remains have been found ; since they might 
have been brought there by floods from distant parts. But that 
these animals dwelt, and perished on the identical spots where they 
are now found, in a mineralized state, may be fairly and, I trust, un- 
questionably, inferred from the circumstances of the congregation of 
similar animals, and of their bearing but few marks of external 
violence ; since, had they been thus transported from distant regions, 
individuals of similar species would have been separated, and scarcely 
any individual, except of very strong fabric, would have been found 
that had not suffered material injury. 
Reverting to what has been remarked of corals, that it is not very 
frequent that the superior external face of the coral is found in our 
fossil specimens, it might be thence remarked that this was most pro- 
bably the result of attrition, during the conveyance by the waves from 
