The Medals of Creation, Volumes 1 and 2 / First Lessons in Geology and the Study of Organic Remains

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

ON THE PLAN OF THE WORK, AND THE ARRANGEMENT AND SUBDIVISION OF THE SUBJECTS IT EMBRACES.

With the view of economizing space, I would refer the reader to the following volumes for figures and descriptions of such fossils as are illustrated therein: by this arrangement I hope to afford the student a comprehensive view of PalÆontology, and yet restrict this work within the limits which as a manual it would be inconvenient to exceed; at the same time it will be complete in itself, and afford all the information required by the amateur collector and general reader.

I. Dr. Buckland's Bridgewater Treatise: 2 vols. 8vo.—These volumes contain numerous excellent figures of organic remains; and as the work is, or ought to be, found in every good public or private library in the kingdom, it will be accessible to most of my readers.

II. The Wonders of Geology, or a Familiar Exposition of Geological Phenomena; sixth edition, in two vols, with coloured plates, and numerous figures; by the Author. Price 18s.—This work is designed to afford a general view of Geological phenomena, divested as much as possible of scientific language: it is illustrated by numerous figures of organic remains.

III. Geological Excursions round the Isle of Wight and along the adjacent Coasts of Hampshire and Dorsetshire. One volume, richly illustrated. By the Author. Price 12s.

IV. Petrifactions and their Teachings; or a Hand-book to the Gallery of Organic Remains in the British Museum. One vol. with many original figures of the most interesting objects. By the Author.[7] Price 5s.

[7] The three works above named consist of four volumes uniform with the present edition of the "Medals of Creation:" this series of six volumes comprises the popular geological works of the Author.

V. A Pictorial Atlas of Fossil Remains; consisting of Coloured Illustrations selected from "Parkinson's Organic Remains of a Former World," and Artis' "Antediluvian Phytology." 1 vol. 4to. with seventy-four coloured plates, and several lignographs, containing nearly 900 figures of fossils. By the Author. Price 2l. 2s.

To the above may be added Dana's Mineralogy, which treats of the various mineral substances that enter into the composition of the rocks and strata in which the fossil remains are imbedded.

A good geological map of Great Britain is indispensable. The small map published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, edited by Sir R. Murchison, price 5s., is an excellent compendium; but Mr. Knipe's large "Geological Map of the British Isles" is the most complete and convenient for the traveller: price 3l. 3s. By reference to the map, the geological structure, and the prevailing fossils of a district, may be ascertained.

The above works are referred to as follows: viz.

Bd. Dr. Buckland's Treatise.
Wond. The Wonders of Geology.
Geol. I. of W. Geology of the Isle of Wight.
Petrifactions. Petrifactions and their Teachings.
Pict. Atlas. Pictorial Atlas of Organic Remains.

The following works, to which reference will often be made, are thus denoted:—

Foss. Flor. The Fossil Flora of Great Britain, by Dr. Lindley, and W. Hutton, Esq. 3 vols. 8vo.

VÉg. Foss. Histoire des VÉgÉtans: Fossiles, par M. Adolphe Brongniart. 1 vol. 4 to.

Geol. Trans. Transactions of the Geological Society of London. 5 vols. 4to.; and New Series, in 5 vols.

Geol. Proc. Geological Proceedings.

—— Journ. ————— Quarterly Journal.

Sil. Syst. The Silurian System, by Sir R. I. Murchison. 2 vols. 4to. with plates and map.

Org. Rem. Parkinson's Organic Remains of a Former World. 3 vols. 4to.

Oss. Foss. Ossemens Fossiles, par Baron Cuvier. 5 vols. 4to. 5^me. edit.

Min. Conch. Sowerby's Mineral Conchology. 6 vols. 8vo.

Odont. Odontography; a Treatise on the Comparative Anatomy of the Teeth, by Professor Owen. 2 vols. 8vo.

Brit. Mam. British Fossil Mammalia; by the same Author. 1 vol. 8vo.

Brit. Rep. Reports on British Fossil Reptiles in the British Association Transactions for 1839, and 1841; by the same Author.

Phil. York. Geology of Yorkshire, by Professor John Phillips. 2 vols. 4to.

South. D. Fossils of the South Downs, 1 vol. 4to. 42 plates by the Author. 1822.

Geol. S. E. Geology of the South-east of England. 1 vol. 8vo. by the same.

Tilg. For. Fossils of Tilgate Forest. 1 vol. 4to. 20 plates; by the same. 1827.

Poiss. Foss. Recherches sur les Poissons Fossiles, par M. Agassiz. 4 vols. 4to, and 2 vols, folio.

Man. Geol. Manual or Elements of Geology, by Sir C. Lyell. 1 vol. 8vo. Edit. 1852.

The following abbreviations are also employed:—

§ 1. Relative to the Rocks or Strata.

Drift. Alluvial deposits, or Drift.

Tert. Tertiary. Lond. C. London clay.

Cret. Cretaceous formation. U. Ch. Upper chalk. L. Ch. Lower chalk.

Trias. New Red Sandstone, or Triassic deposits.

Carb. Carboniferous or Coal formation.

Mt. L. Mountain or Carboniferous limestone.

Devon. Devonian or Old Red Sandstone formation.

Sil. Syst. Silurian System, or formation.

§ 2. Relative to Organic Remains.

nat. Natural size.

× Magnified in diameter: e.g. × 8, magnified eight diameters, &c.

× × Highly magnified; the degree not accurately determined.

inv. Invisible to the naked eye.

— Less than natural: e.g. —²/₃, reduced to two-thirds the diameter of the original.

Lign. Lignograph or woodcut.

Explanation of Terms.—Upon the occurrence of a scientific word apparently requiring explanation, the meaning, where practicable, is for the most part given in a parenthesis; for example, Caulopteris (fern-stem); Phascotherium (pouch-animal); carboniferous (coal-bearing); except in the case of arbitrary names, and of those whose derivation cannot be concisely expressed.[8] With the view of rendering these volumes more generally useful, English terminology is in many instances made use of, though involving inelegance of expression.

[8] Upwards of 300 scientific terms are explained in the Glossary, "Wonders," vol. ii. p. 915-921.

The work is divided into four parts: the first is an Introduction to the Study of Organic Remains; the second treats of Fossil Botany; the third embraces Fossil Zoology; and the fourth, under the head of Geological Excursions, illustrates the principles enunciated in the course of the work, by practical observations on a few instructive British localities.

PART I.

1.	On the British Strata and their Fossils.
2.	Arrangement and Characters of the British Formations.
3.	On the Nature of Fossils or Organic Remains.
4.	On Mineralized Vegetable Remains, and the mode of conducting their investigation.
5.	On Peat, Lignite, and Coal.

PART II.

FOSSIL BOTANY.

Classification of Fossil Vegetables.

1.	On the Fossil Remains of	CryptogamiÆ.
2.	""	DiatomaceÆ.
3.	" "	Ferns.
4.	" "	SigillariÆ.
5.	" "	Lepidodendra.
6.	" "	CycadaceÆ.
7.	" "	ConiferÆ.
8.	" "	Palms.
9.	" "	Angiosperms.

Retrospect.

British Localities of Fossil Plants.

PART III.

FOSSIL ZOOLOGY.

On the Fossil Remains of the Animal Kingdom.

1. Zoophytes; Amorphozoa.

2. " Polypifera.

3. Echinoderms; comprising the
a. Crinoidea, or Lily-shaped animals.
b. Asteriada, or Star-Fishes.
c. Echinida, or Sea-Urchins.

4. Foraminifera.

5. Shell-bearing Mollusca.

6. Articulated animals; comprising
a. Crustaceans.
b. Insects.

7. Fishes.

8. Reptiles.

9. Birds.

10. Mammalia.

11. Man.

Retrospect.

PART IV.

I.	Geological Excursions in various parts of England, illustrative of the method of observing geological phenomena, and of collecting Fossil Remains.
II.	Miscellaneous. On the prices of Fossils; lists of Dealers, &c.
III.	Appendix.

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