tell tales of what existed ere Mardi was completely fashioned. Hence
many fossils on the hills, whose kith and kin still lurk beneath the
vales. Thus Nature works, at random warring, chaos a crater, and this
world a shell."

Mohi stroked his beard.

Yoomy yawned.

Media cried, "Preposterous!"

"My lord, then take another theory--which you will--the celebrated
sandwich System. Nature's first condition was a soup, wherein the
agglomerating solids formed granitic dumplings, which, wearing down,
deposited the primal stratum made up of series, sandwiching strange
shapes of mollusks, and zoophytes; then snails, and periwinkles:--
marmalade to sip, and nuts to crack, ere the substantials came.

"And next, my lord, we have the fine old time of the Old Red Sandstone
sandwich, clapped on the underlying layer, and among other dainties,
imbedding the first course of fish,--all quite in rule,--sturgeon-
forms, cephalaspis, glyptolepis, pterichthys; and other finny things,
of flavor rare, but hard to mouth for bones. Served up with these,
were sundry greens,--lichens, mosses, ferns, and fungi.

"Now comes the New Red Sandstone sandwich: marly and magnesious,
spread over with old patriarchs of crocodiles and alligators,--hard
carving these,--and prodigious lizards, spine-skewered, tails tied in
bows, and swimming in saffron saucers."