29 



interior of the mass, whence, however, they are less readily 

 spparated for examination. 



It appears that the proprietor of the quarry, Mr. E. Ilayward, 

 and his family, have for some time been familiar with the occur- 

 rence of these so-called images in the rock, without a suspicion 

 of their having any scientific value. But it is to the kindness of 

 Peter Wainwright, Esq., a member of this Society, who resides 

 in the neighborhood, that Prof. Rogers has been indebted for the 

 first suggestion which led to tlie investigation of this unique and 

 most interesting locality. 



Tlie range or strike of the fossiliferous belt is about N. 70 E., 

 and the dip in the quarry N. 20 W., at an angle of about 45 

 degrees. Adjoining it on the northwest side, are exposures of a 

 more argillaceous and indurated slate, greatly broken up by joints 

 and irregular cleavage planes, and at a short distance further on 

 in the same direction, these altered sediments give place to tiie 

 granitoid and sienitic masses so extensively quarried in the 

 town of Quincy. In crossing the strata towards the south, we 

 meet with slaty and gritty rocks, becoming more and more indu- 

 rated as we proceed, which, passing into beds of a semi-crystalline 

 character, are quickly followed by another range of Sienite. 

 Thus the fossiliferous belt is actually included, in this part of its 

 range at least, between large masses of igneous rock ; and it is 

 not a little surprising that, under conditions so favorable to meta- 

 morphic action, the fossil impressions should have been so well 

 preserved. 



This discovery of well-marked fossils among the rocks of 

 eastern Massachusetts, where hitherto their existence could 

 scarcely have been suspected, may well lead us to hope that 

 careful research in other parts of this region of altered sedi- 

 ments will bring to light fossil organisms not less interesting in 

 their scientific bearings than the Braintree Trilobite. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson observed that Mr. Fi-ancis Alger had a fossil, 

 apparently identical with these and imbedded in a similar rock, 

 which was obtained at the sale of the old Columbian Museum, in 

 this city. Its origin was unknown. 



Dr. Hayes remai-ked, that it was with the deepest interest that 

 he had listened to the announcement of the discovery made by 



