But suppose that in fact there are no marine productions in the mountains of Peru, all that may be concluded from it will no ways affect our theory; and it might be possible, that there are some parts of the globe which never were covered with water, especially of such elevation as the Cordeliers. But in this case there might be some curious observations made on those mountains, for they would not be composed of parallel strata, the materials also would be very different from those we are acquainted with; they would not have perpendicular cracks; the composition of the rocks and stones would not at all resemble those of other countries; and lastly, in these mountains we should find the ancient structure of the earth such as it originally was before it was changed by the motion of the waters; we should see the first state of the globe, the old matters of which it was composed, its form, and the natural arrangement of its parts; but this is too much to expect, and on too slight foundations; and it is more conformable to reason to conclude that fossil-shells are to be found in those mountains, as well as in every other place. With respect to the manner in which shells are placed in the strata of earth or sand, Woodward says, "All shells that are met with in an infinity of strata of earth, and banks of rocks, in the highest mountains, and in the deepest quarries and mines, in flints, &c. &c. in masses of sulphur, marcasites, and other metallic and mineral bodies, are filled with similar substances to that which includes them, and never any heterogeneous matter, &c. "In the sand stones of all countries (the specific weight of the different kinds of which vary but little, being generally with respect to water as 2-1/2 or 9/16 to 1), we find only the conchae, and other shells which are nearly of the same weight, but they are usually found in very great numbers, whereas it is very rare to meet with oyster-shells (whose specific weight is but as 2-1/3 to 1), or sea cockles (whose weight is but as 2 or 2-1/8 to 1), or other sorts of lighter shells; but on the contrary in chalk, (which is lighter than stone, being to water but as 2-1/10 to 1), we find only cockles and other kinds of lighter shells, page 32, 33."