Chapter VIII

STRATIFIED ROCKS OF ORGANIC ORIGIN--ILLUSTRATIONS FROM
ANIMAL LIFE.

Nature of Organic Rocks--Carbonate of Lime extracted from the
Sea by the Intervention of minute Animalcules--Chalk Rock--its
vast Extent--supposed to be of Organic Origin--A Stratum
of the same kind now growing up on the Floor of the Atlantic
Ocean--Coral Reefs and Islands--their general Appearance--their
Geographical Distribution--their Organic Origin--Structure
of the Zoophyte--Various Illustrations--Agency of the
Zoophyte in the Construction of Coral Rock--How the sunken
Reef is converted into an Island--and peopled with Plants and
Animals--Difficulty proposed and considered--Hypothesis of
Mr. Darwin--Coral Limestone in the solid Crust of the Earth, 118

CHAPTER IX.

STRATIFIED ROCKS OF ORGANIC ORIGIN--ILLUSTRATIONS FROM
VEGETABLE LIFE.

Origin of Coal--Evident Traces of Plants and Trees in Coal
Mines--Coal made up of the same Elements as Wood--Beds of
Coal found resting upon Clay in which are preserved the Roots
of Trees--Insensible Transition from Wood to Coal--Forest-covered
Swamps--Accumulations of Drift Wood in Lakes and
Estuaries--Peat Bogs--Beds of Lignite--Seams of pure Coal
with half Carbonized Trees, some lying prostrate, some standing
erect--Summary of the Argument hitherto pursued--Objection
to this Argument from the Omnipotence of God--Answer to
the Objection, 141