364 Miscellaneous Intelligence, 



more than a hundred in one series. By breaking the matrix in 

 which they are imbedded, they drop out entire, and may be 

 readily reduced to any smaller size ; by merely throwing them 

 upon the rock the concentric layers easily separate, leaving the 

 foiTn exactly the same. 



These concretions seem to be confined solely to one stratum of 

 the series, and this stratum evidently accompanies the oolite in 

 its whole extent, and is undoubtedly a variety of the same series, 

 the best characterized oolite lying beneath, while those of a less 

 definite character are regularly piled above it. — 5tY/man's Jowr. 

 ix. 17. 



5. Native Gold of North Carolina. — Professor Olmsted gives 

 the following account of large pieces of native gold, whilst speak- 

 ing of this auriferous district. " Large pieces of gold are found 

 in this region, although their occurrence is somewhat rare. Mas- 

 ses, weighing four, five, and six hundred pennyweights, are oc- 

 casionally met with ; and one mass was found that weighed in its 

 crude state 28lbs. avoirdupois. This was dug up by a negro at 

 Reid's mine, within a few inches of the surface of the ground. 

 Marvellous stories are told respecting this rich mass, as that it 

 had been seen by gold hunters at night, reflecting a brilliant 

 light, §r. 4^c., but no unusual circumstances were connected with 

 its discovery, except its being nearer the surface than common. 

 It was melted down and cast into bars soon after it was found. 

 The spot where it occurred has been since subjected to the 

 severest scrutiny, but without any similar harvest. Another 

 mass weighing 600 pennyweights was found on the surface of a 

 ploughed field, in the vicinity of the Yadkin, twenty miles or 

 more north of Reid's mine. 



" Mr. Reid found a mass of quartz, having a projecting point of 

 gold of the size of a large pin's head. On breaking it open a 

 brilliant display of green and yellow colours was presented, ex- 

 ceedingly beautiful. The gold weighed 12 pennyweights." "Al- 

 though fragments of green-stone and of several argillaceous mine- 

 rals occur among the gravel of the gold stratum, yet in the opi- 

 nion of the miners, the precious metal is never found attached to 

 any other mineral than quartz. It is rarely attached to any sub- 

 stance, but is commonly scattered promiscuously among the 

 gravel." The gold country of this district is not less than 1000 

 square miles, and is situated between the 35th and 36th degree 

 of north latitude, and between the 80th and 81st degrees of west 

 longitude from London. — Silliman's Jour. ix. 5. 



6. On Ground Ice, or the Ice of Running Wafer. — This subject 

 has been taken up in a series of remarks by Professor Merian, 

 who has read a paper on it to the Society of Natural History, 



