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Pinax RerumNaturalium Britonnicorum, first part publishedin 1667. L’Histoire des SitigulariiesNaturelles d'Anglelerre,d'Europe , el du Pays de Galles, by Mons. Chddrey, pub-lished at Paris , at about the same time. Valuable informa-tion on this subject will be also found in the works of thecelebrated RlESKE, Major Kirchmajor, and Sachs, alsoWolfgang, Wedel, &c. 8cc.
A Geological Description of the Interior of the Earth .—We premise the following brief outline to answer generaldescription only; necessity enforces belief that certain localsituations will require a more particular description. Aninfinite number of especial peculiarities will of coursedemand a more definite and accurate detail.
Generally then,—the very intelligent and learned authorof the “ Organic Remains of a former World,” informs us,in his fifth Letter, vol. i. that “ It presents every where asurface more or less irregular, — in some places gentlerisings and declivities only are found;—in others, the eleva-tions are vast and lofty, accompanied with appropriatevalleys. In some parts, the dry lard is interrupted byslight intersections for the currents of rivers, which stretchinto immense continental tracts: whilst, in others, prodi-gious excavations in the substance of the earth serve as thereceptacles of immense oceans of water. These, it isallowed, exceed, in the sum of their extent, that of dryland; and bear a very near proportion in their depth to theheight of the highest mountains.
“ Mountains are with propriety divided into primitive orprimeval, and secondary or epizootic. The primitive andsecondary mountains differ, not only in their composition,but also in their form.
“ Tne primitive mountains are composed of granites,and stones of the granite class; of porphyry, jasper, ser-pentine, sand-stone, trap, and sometimes, but more rarely,of lime-stone, floors, gypsum, &c. These substances some-times lay in strata; but more frequently they are found inhuge blocks. Thus a granite mountain, about thirty milesfrom the Cape of Good Hope , called the Pearl-Diamond,rises out of the ground to the height of 400 feet, being halfa mile in circumference, and formed of a block of granite.
“ These mountains never cover secondary mountains, butare often covered by them. They are commonly the highestridges in any chain, and terminate generally more narrowand sharp thab the secondary.
The most distinguishing character of these mountains,according to Mr. Kirwan, is, (a circumstance peculiarly