- J. B.]
Sir Christopher Wren sayes they doe pitch (incline) all one way, like
arrowes shot. Quaere de hoc, and if so to what part of the heavens
they point? Sir Christopher thinks they were cast up by a vulcano.
CHAPTER VII.
OF FORMED STONES.
[AUBREY, and other writers of his time, designated by this term the
fossil remains of antediluvian animals and vegetables. This Chapter is
very brief in the manuscript; and the following are the only passages
adapted for this publication.
The numerous excavations which have been made in the county since
Aubrey's time have led to the discovery of a great abundance of
organic remains; especially in the northern part of the county, from
Swindon to Chippenham and Box. Large collections have been made by Mr.
John Provis and Mr. Lowe, of Chippenham, which it is hoped will be
preserved in some public museum, for the advantage of future
geologists.-J. B.]
THE stones at Easton-Piers are full of small cockles no bigger than
silver half-pennies. The stones at Kington St. Michael and Dracot
Cerne are also cockley, but the cockles at Dracot bigger.
Cockleborough, near Chippenham, hath its denomination from the
petrified cockles found there in great plenty, and as big as cockles.
Sheldon, in the parish of Chippenham, hath its denomination from the
petrified shells in the stones there.
At Dracot Cerne there is belemnites, as also at Tytherington Lucas.
They are like hafts of knives, dimly transparent, having a seame on
one side.
Pages:
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118