Genre:

Introduction / Letter

Subjects:

Palaeontology, Discovery, Controversy, Biblical Authority

Publications cited:

Buckland 1822 , Buckland 1823 , Cumberland 1823

    Introduces a letter which has been sent to the Annals of Philosophy, of which the editor 'has been favoured with a copy'. Believes that 'to some classes of our Readers it will be highly interesting'. (166) The letter disputes Buckland's explanation of the remains in the Kirkdale cave as the accumulation of debris in a hyena den. Argues from the entirely enclosed limestone caves near Plymouth that such remains may result instead from subsidence entombing a large number of living animals. Concludes that in both Pickering and Plymouth subsidence trapped 'assemblages of animals' which had taken shelter from the rising waters of the Noachian Deluge, but that in the former case the cave was subsequently reopened by the retreating flood waters. Suggests that the signs of gnawing on the bones proves only that some of the animals outlived the others. (167)

See also:

WM3/1/4c/5, WM3/1/5c/6