Principles of Geology: Being an Inquiry how Far the Former Changes of the Earth's Surface are Referable to Causes Now in Operation, Volume 3John Murray, 1835 - 1782 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
action alluvium ancient animals and plants aquatic aqueous basin become beds birds bones breccias Calanna calcareous Catania causes cetacea clay climate coast cone considerable continents coral delta deposits depth dikes distance distinct drifted earth earthquakes Eocene eruptions Etna Europe example extinct feet floods formations fossil fossil shells geographical geological geologist globe groups habitations hundred hyæna hybrid igneous imbedded inhabitants insects islands Isles lakes land latitudes lava limestone living marine marl masses Mediterranean migrations miles mineral Miocene mountains naturalists nature Newer Pliocene observed ocean organic remains origin peat peculiar peperino period plants and animals Pliocene quadrupeds recent reefs regions rivers rocks sand scoriæ seeds seen shores Sicily soil sometimes species strata Subapennine subaqueous submarine suppose surface terrestrial terrestrial animals terrestrial plants tertiary testacea thickness thousand trees tropical tuff Val del Bove Val di Noto valley vegetable volcanic zoophytes
Popular passages
Page 439 - The seat of desolation, void of light, Save what the glimmering of these livid flames Casts pale and dreadful ? Thither let us tend...
Page 440 - Millions of Spirits for his fault amerced Of Heaven, and from eternal splendours flung For his revolt ; yet faithful how they stood, Their glory wither'd : as when Heaven's fire Hath scathed the forest oaks, or mountain pines, With singed top their stately growth, though bare, Stands on the blasted heath.
Page 113 - In bigness to surpass earth's giant sons, Now less than smallest dwarfs in narrow room Throng numberless...
Page 327 - ... which every part of the earth's surface is undergoing, and by which the condition of its living inhabitants is continually made to vary. The student, instead of being encouraged with the hope of interpreting the enigmas presented to him in the earth's structure, — instead of being prompted to undertake laborious inquiries into the natural history of the organic world, and the complicated effects of the igneous and aqueous causes now in operation, was taught to despond from the first. Geology,...
Page 21 - The intermixture of distinct species is guarded against by the aversion of the individuals composing them to sexual union, or by the sterility of the mule offspring. It does not appear that true hybrid races have ever been perpetuated for several generations, even by the assistance of man; for the cases usually cited relate to the crossing of mules with individuals of pure species, and not to the intermixture of hybrid with hybrid.
Page 250 - ... and if they chance to be drowned, or to die when swimming on the water, it will scarcely ever happen that they will be submerged so as to become preserved in sedimentary deposits.
Page 114 - Reaumur has proved that in five generations one aphis may be the progenitor of 5,904,900,000 descendants ; and it is supposed that in one year there may be twenty generations.
Page 100 - Each species may have had its origin in a single pair, or individual, where an individual was sufficient, and species may have been created in succession at such times and in such places as to enable them to multiply and endure for an appointed period, and occupy an appointed space on the globe.
Page 205 - Axholm, in Lincolnshire. The antique sandals on her feet afforded evidence of her having been buried there for many ages ; yet her nails, hair, and skin, are described as having shown hardly any marks of decay.
Page 16 - On this difference of ten degrees in the facial angle the superior beauty of the European depends; while that high character of sublime beauty, which is so striking in some works of...