AN UNCOMMON FIND. 

 By Frederick H. Blodgett. 



THE deposit known as the Amboy Clays covers a large portion of 

 New Jersey, and contains many colors and qualities of clay. 

 The colors are most strikingly shown at Gay Head, Mass., 

 where the various colors of clay make the cliffs conspicuous at 

 a considerable distance. The qualities are perhaps best examined in 

 the deposit along the Raritan river, at Amboy, Sayerville and other 

 places in that region. Brick, tile and porcelain clays are found in 

 close proximity, sometimes in the same pit, being formed in layers 

 quite distinct from each other. 



The surface of the clay bed varies from a few inches to twenty 

 feet below the ground level. This surface layer is largely formed of 

 sand, of several grades of fineness, and of various colors. Between 

 the bottom of the sand layer and the top of the clay bed, there is 

 usually a layer of carbonized matter, in which portions of leaves and 

 stems are found. This deposit varies from a mere trace to two or 

 three inches, and may be merely the stained impressions of foliage, 



or those with partial remains of the 

 original leaves. An unusual instance 

 of the latter is here noted. 



Early in the summer of 1897 a leaf 

 and its impression was found by Mr. J. 

 A. Maniey, of this city, at Luche's 

 kaolin pits near Sayerville, on the Rar- 

 itan River Railroad. At the place 

 where the specimen was found the 

 carbonaceous layer was nearly twenty 

 Imprint. feet below the ground level. The sand 

 and coarse clay are rejected in this case, 

 and are used to fill the old parts of the pits, and the spot where the 

 find was made is now (Jannuary 10, 1898,) covered by five feet or 

 more of filling. 



As found, the leaf was decidedly curved over its matrix, one lobe 

 extending somewhat behind the impression shown at a\ The mar- 

 gin at b was turned nearly perpendicvilarly into the matrix at b\ The 

 matrix is sandy clay, with a thin layer of fine clay next the leaf. The 

 more sandy portions are dotted, the clay parts are cross-hatched in the 

 figure of the impression ; adhering clay on the leaf is shown by diag- 

 onal lines. 



The leaf is rather more brittle than a last year's one would be, 

 but in color it strongly resembles such an one. It is shown full size. 



