20 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



^seventeen thousand stomata or to test 

 the effect of various chemicals on the 

 growth of the plant, we should not be 

 lacking in financial assistance. But 

 when it comes to plain, simple, every- 

 day seeing, to efforts to cultivate the 

 power of observation in adults and 

 young people, aye, there's the rub — 

 that is too simple to be of any value! 



Agatized Fossils. 



BY HORACE SYKES, NEWPORT, OREGON. 



On the coast of Oregon, confined with- 

 in the limits of a few miles, are beds of 

 pebbles in which agates are found in 

 great abundance. Newport, a summer 



The author does not set this forth as 

 a complete geological treatise but pre- 

 sents a few of nature's interesting 

 records and non-technical description of 

 them. 



Incased in transparent rock coverings 

 are found such remains as tufts of hair, 

 sea urchin spines, and pieces of shells, 

 while different kinds of coral, polyzoa, 

 and all kinds of wood are found entirely 

 formed in agate. There are many other 

 specimens that are unquestionably re- 

 mains of organic matter, but so entirely 

 transformed or possibly such a small por- 

 tion of the original organism, as to be 

 bevond identification. 



FIG. 1. CROSS SECTION OF A LRYOZOAN "THAT LOOKS LIKE A PIECE OF BONE.' 



resort on Yaquinna Bay, the western ter- 

 minus of the Corvallis and Eastern Rail- 

 way, is located in the midst of these beds, 

 and from the dozen or so lapidaries, of 

 which the town possesses without doubt 

 a larger percentage according to resident 

 population than any town in the world, 

 come some of the rarest agates, and 

 greatest curiosities that are to be found. 

 In these prolific beds are found moon- 

 stone of great variety, and fine quality, 

 moss agate of almost every character, 

 cloud or picture agates, the forms in 

 which often represent grotesque or beau- 

 tiful objects, carnelian, onyx, bloodstone, 

 goldstone, jasper in great variety, agate 

 or moss jasper, and lastly many agatized 

 specimens of animal and vegetable re- 

 mains. As suggested by the title the 

 last mentioned will be given special con- 

 sideration. 



Figure No. i, represents a cross sec- 

 tion of a piece of bryozoan that looks 

 like a piece of bone. It is the inside, or 

 honeycombed portion of a piece of very 

 great size, it makes one think of a sea 

 monster such as the whale. The illus- 

 tration is the exact size of the specimen, 

 and on comparing with the structure of 

 a whale's bone will be found to be very 

 similar. The portions representing cells 

 are filled with agate, while the structural 

 part is softer and a dark brown color. 



Figure No. 2, represents a stone 

 which contains remains of the hair of 

 some prehistoric animal. The tufts are 

 of a very dark brown color, and the in- 

 dividual hairs lay so close together in 

 parts of the stone as to prevent the light 

 from passing through, making it appear 

 opaque in the photograph, while around 

 the edges the single hairs can be seen. 



