453 
Other important circumstances respecting the situations in which 
these fossils are found must also have excited your attention. From 
the integrity of numerous delicate fossil shells, and from the congre- 
gation of numerous similar animals in a fossil state, it has been evinced, 
that these animals must have lived on the very spots in which they 
are now found imbedded. It has been also shown, that these fossil 
remains are found in those parts of the world in which no similar 
beings now exist, and in climates in which it is presumed that they 
could not live ; that the remains of numerous unknown plants are 
found in the neighbourhood of coal, at considerable depths ; and that 
the remains of marine animals are found in very lofty mountains, as 
well as far beneath the surface of the earth. 
The consideration of these circumstances must have filled your 
mind with wonder, and have led you to regard with reverence these 
stupendous proofs of the power of the Almighty creator.. But from 
the consideration of these circumstances alone, but little information 
can be obtained respecting the age or formation of this planet : to ob- 
tain any useful knowledge on these subjects, it is necessary that the 
examination of these fossil bodies should be connected with that of 
the strata in which they are found. 
For calling the attention of geologists to this mode of directing their 
inquiries, we are much indebted to Mr. William Smith, who, long 
since, not only pointed out the necessity of ascertaining the fossils 
belonging to each particular stratum, but also collected and preser\ ed 
for the information of others, specimens of numerous strata, with 
some of their peculiar fossils. 
Without the hope of making any important addition to our know- 
ledge of these subjects, but merely with the wish of showing how bene- 
ficial our inquiries may prove when thus connected, I will endeavour 
to ascertain the proper strata of some of the fossils mentioned in this 
work. To perform even this, I must avail myself of the observations 
made by the gentleman above mentioned, and by Mr. John Farey, 
