the more advanced inquirer; but sufficient, it is hoped, will be introduced to enable the student to detect the more decided and more important characters of these substances, and to place them under their appropriate genera.

At

It may, it is hoped, thus become a useful vade-mecum for the intelligent traveller who may not yet have attended to these inquiries. present, disappointment frequently occurs, from the too limited accounts of the fossil remains which offer themselves for examination in different parts of the world. The observer is perhaps satisfied, for instance, with stating that the rocks were found to contain the remains of shells, and that these remains were chiefly of bivalves or of univalves; when, by a little farther investigation of even the fragments of these fossils, aided by reference to a manual of this kind, their genera might have been ascertained. Such marks might also be noted, as, by subsequent comparison with the more correct and elaborate labours of Lamarck, Sowerby, &c. would admit of their species being deter

mined, and of important imformation being yielded on points which, at present, are the subjects of controversy.

The student, already delighted with the contemplation of surrounding creation, will be hereby led into another field of observation, where he will perceive decided traces of the vast changes which this planet has sustained; and will see the remains of those beings with which it was inhabited previous to the creation of man. Circumstances will be observed, apparently contradictory to the Mosaic account, but which, it is presumed, serve to establish it as the revealed history of creation.

The discordance appears to be removed by the assumption of indefinite periods for the days of creation: an interpretation adopted by many learned and pious men, and which derives confirmation from innumerable circumstances agreeing with the important fact of certain fossils being found to be peculiar to particular strata; and especially from the remains of widely dif

fering races of animals being found in such situations as evince their creation to have taken place at very distant periods.

For the several imperfections in this work, which may have escaped the author's attention, he craves indulgence; hoping that they will not be found of such importance as to render the wish too presumptuous of having it considered as a humble subsidiary to that scientific and most valuable comprehensive work, "Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales,” by the Rev. W. D. CONYBEARE and W. PHILLIPS.

LONDON, 1830.

OUTLINES

OF

ORYCTOLOGY.

ORYCTOLOGY is the science which inquires into the nature, origin, and formation of those bodies which possess the figures, markings, or structure of vegetables or animals, whilst their substance evinces their having been preserved through many ages, by certain changes effected in subaqueous or subterranean situations.*

The substances of which these bodies are formed being generally of a mineral nature, the term FOSSILS is applied to them, as declaratory of their having been dug from subterranean situations. They have also been termed adventitious, extraneous, or secondary fossils, to distinguish them from those fossils or original mineral substances which are

* The term Oryctology is liable to the objection of not being sufficiently confined, it including, in fact, every substance dug out of the earth; the term Fossil, also, is exposed to the same objection: in excuse for their employment, it must be observed, that this language was formed, and these terms were adopted and had received the stamp of authority from usage, whilst utter ignorance prevailed respecting the nature of the substances to which they were applied. Either, then, the best of these terms must be admitted, a new vocabulary be formed, or perpetual periphrasis be had recourse to: the first has been preferred.

B.

found in their native state and situations. But as the term fossil, alone, declares these bodies, bearing the obvious and characteristic marks of vegetable or animal organization, to have been obtained from the mineral kingdom, the employment of any of these epithets appears to be unnecessary.

By whatever mode organic remains, in subterranean or subaqueous situations, may be preserved from resolution of their substance for a considerable time, it is obvious that they must be liable to be impregnated with whatever matters may be held in solution in the fluids with which they may be thus imbued. From this source mineral matters may be deposited, by intromission, into the original interstices and cavities of the organic body; or may, by substitution, fill the spaces which have been produced by the partial removal of the original organic substance; or lastly, may, by impregnation and consolidation of the chemically altered organic matter itself, produce the several earthy or metallic fossils.

The earthy substances which enter into the composition of fossils, or, as in these cases they may be termed petrifactions, are chiefly of the calcareous, siliceous, and argillaceous kinds, in different states, and in various mixtures. The most common of the calcareous genus are the several species and varieties of carbonates; limestone, marble, stinkstone, chalk, spar, oolite, &c. Fluate of lime sometimes occurs as the matrix, and, rarely, it forms the substance of fossils. Sulphate of lime, though sometimes found crystallized in their cavities, has not been mentioned as forming the substance of fossils. Sulphate of barytes, or baroselenite, is said sometimes to form the substance of fossils, but the instances are very rare. Silex enters, in different combinations, into the composition of fossils: quartz, chert, agate, calcedony, jasper, flint, pitchstone, and semiopal, have all been found forming their substance or constituting the masses in which they have been contained.