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is denied, by Huttonian writers, all claim tothe title of stratiform.

Whence this contrariety of opinion? Areour senses at variance, or our judgments?The cause I think is obvious. Every oneuses the word stratum, no one enquires itsmeaning; the remedy is as obvious — de-finition.

Let us pass in review the several appear-ances in which this confusion has origi-nated.

1st. Some rocks present external planesparallel to each other, but are not sub-divided by internal planes.

Stratum is a literal translation of theword bed, and most writers use one orother of these expressions indifferently.Professor Jameson a not considering howinjudicious it is to employ synonymes forthe purpose of expressing contrast, has

* Geology, p. 51.