Britain, was customarily frozen over, in ancient times, for the mere purpose of furnishing a bridge of ice for beasts of prey. Nor should it be forgotten that this medium of access could not possibly have offered itself, except during the extremity of winter; and at this season, there is a perpetuity of storms in our seas, and particularly in the Dover Strait, which no conceivable frost could overcome.

Having proved the insufficiency of all the causes to produce the effect in question, it now remains for the writer to suggest the high probability, that the land which is now denominated England, was once attached to, or formed an integral part of the continent; in confirmation of which, some arguments will, with deference, be stated.

The supposition has often been advanced, of this union of the two countries, but it has been chiefly founded on the conformity of the rocks, on both sides of the easternmost part of the channel; yet this is stopping at the mere vestibule of the question. The neighbouring rocks of Dover and Calais, not only correspond, but a mutual correspondence is continued through the whole of the English Channel; both as it respects the cliffs, and the soil. Thus, all the granite formations of Bretagne are in exact unison with those of the opposite coast of Cornwall: and the Norman Isles that lie between, are also granitic. The blue lias, oolite, and limestone, of Devonshire and Dorset, agree, exactly, with the shores of Normandy, and the eastermost shores of Bretagne, whilst the chalk formations of Hampshire, Sussex, and Kent, are in minute conformity with the opposing shores of Picardy, and the easternmost part of Normandy; and finally, the testiary beds of Artois and the Netherlands, exactly accord with

the whole eastern coast of England; and it is a very observable circumstance, that there are no basaltic, or carboniferous formations in either country contiguous to the channel, although each is found a little way in the interior, both in England and France, and precisely in the same meridian. It is remarkable, also, that a strong conformity subsists between Scotland and Ireland, and which sanctions the probability that those two countries were once united. The basaltic pillars of Staffa, are found on the opposite coast of Ireland. The Mica-slate formation approaches the western coast of Scotland, when it appears to dip under the sea, and reappears on the opposite coast. The transition slate also, with granitic nuclei, are found on the opposite shores of Scotland and Ireland.

This must be admitted to be strong presumptive evidence, but the question derives additional confirmation from the difficulty of accounting for the presence of carnivorous animals, in Britain, on any other sound hypothesis.

The solid basis on which the Copernican System rests, and which has resisted a thousand visionary adverse theories, is, its perfect agreement with all the phenomena of nature. This is a just criterion, when applied to other questions, and if the conjunction of England and France be admitted, a perfect harmony is at once effected between numerous perplexing appearances.

Upon an admission of this union, how naturally the cause precedes the effect, and how clear is the agreement between both? The wild beasts increased. Human beings proceeded from one pair; beasts proceeded from many. At this period, carnivorous animals were uncircumscribed by the dominion of man. Their own

Asiatic vicinity became too populous, and they migrated, both on account of safety, and in quest of food; passing as easily into England, as other parts of their species passed into China. All was land, and all was appropriated to themselves. But, establish a wide channel between England and the continent, and we might as rationally expect to find amongst us the remains of tigers, elephants, and hyænas, as to find moles amongst the rocky, pinnacles of the Alps.

If the remark should now be made, "On the supposition that England was once united to the continent, what convulsion of nature, occasioned the separation," the following reply would be given. "When appear

ances establish an effect, it is not essential that the true cause, or even that any cause should be assigned. A tower might be viewed prostrate, but the cause of its prostration might be doubtful;" but if the writer did venture to hazard an opinion, on the agency of this grand separation of England from the continent, he would ascribe it, without hesitation, to the concussions attendant on the Deluge, when the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the crust of the earth, probably, received its present irregular and dislocated form.*

* See the ample confirmatory evidence of the Deluge, in Professor Buckland's "RELIQUIæ Diluvianæ.”

ESSAY XI.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ORESTON CAVES,

WITH REFLECTIONS ON

THEIR ANIMAL CONTENTS.*

IN the summers of 1822, and 1823, the author happened to spend two or three months at Plymouth, just at the time, each year, when the discovery was made of the numerous animal remains which were found in the Oreston Rocks; from the blowing up of which, the Breakwater was supplied with stone. The author felt a deep and unusual interest excited by the event, and spared neither expense, time, nor trouble, in collecting a large, or rather the far largest proportion of all the animal remains which were discovered in that spot.

During this protracted period, also, he had an opportunity of inspecting the successive appearances of the rocks, as the destruction of them advanced, as well as of noticing several curious facts, particularly the number, and position of the various caves, with some of which the public are totally unacquainted; and which could only have been known, to one constantly on the spot, and directing his attention to the subject.

* The following Essay has been curtailed from some more considerable observations on the Oreston Caves. These observations were submitted, in MS. to Sir H. Davy, who was so far pleased with them, as to grant permission to dedicate the small work to himself, should it have been published in a separate form. If the subsequent remarks be conformable with those of other observers, they become a corroboration; if they make any addition, it is so far an accession to useful facts.

The efforts made to consolidate this amazing assemblage of animal remains, by becoming the property of one person, were attended with some public advantages. The appropriation prevented the remains from being scattered amongst many individuals, such as infallibly would have been the case, if these perquisites of the workmen had not found one general purchaser. Any narrow and personal object was the farthest from being entertained by the writer, and after he has retained the aggregate remains, long enough to afford geologists an opportunity of inspecting his collection en masse, it is his intention to distribute the whole between different public institutions, in such proportions and ways, as may best serve the cause of science. It will be satisfactory to some, to know, that fifty specimens from the author's collection have been selected by, and engraved, on account of Professor Buckland, with perfect accuracy, and in the first style of lithographic excellence, and which will be found in his new and valuable work, now about to issue from the press. *

At this moment it is unknown that two caves were discovered by the workmen, in the year 1823, abounding with the remains of the wolf, exclusively. The author collected (by his agents, who were constantly on the alert) numerous jaws of the wolf, from one of these He had directed them, if they found any body of clay, however apparently free from animal remains, to examine it to the bottom. It then occurred to them, that there was a passage, or rather a long, but low cave, lying horizontally, about two thirds up the rock, (absolutely inaccessible, except to men accustomed to

caves.

* It might be desirable that some competent individual should inspect, and describe the whole of the writer's collection, before it be separated.