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Prof. Rogers. The new and important facts, now made known 

 by that gentleman, throw a clear light on what was obscure, and 

 enable us to generalize many isolated observations made in this 

 vicinity, which without them had no scientific basis ; and it must 

 be the wish of all, that Prof. Rogers would give his attention 

 further to this subject. 



Incidentally connected with the discovery of Prof. Rogers, are 

 some observations he had himself made, while pursuing a research 

 on the origin of the saline matter found in the waters which tra- 

 verse the rocks and drift of this part of the State. These rocks, 

 in the simplest form of expression, are broken down granite, the 

 resultina: sand being recemented to form aoforregates, to which we 

 mineralogically apply different names. It is to the material of 

 this cement that he would call attention, as numerous experi- 

 ments have shown that it is the source fiom which the waters 

 take their saline matters, when percolating these rocks. 



Not only are the chlorides of the metals forming alkalies when 

 oxidized present often, but we find salts of lime, which did not 

 probably preexist in the sand or original rock. 



The sulphate, phosphate, carbonate, and crenate of lime are 

 thus found, and when the aggregate reposes on other rocks, these 

 salts are imparted to them in considerable amount. 



Thus, the Argillite of Charlestown is an example of quite a 

 collection of lime salts, associated with the proto-persilicate of 

 iron. In other parts of New England, when the argillite passes 

 into roofing slate, and again where the metamorphic changes have 

 occurred, we find either these salts, or the minerals into which 

 they have passed. Now these lime salts are foreign matters of 

 interest, for they most commonly claim an organic origin, and 

 associated as they generally are with iron salts, which have 

 retained some portion of protoxide, in consequence of the pres- 

 ence of organic matter or carbon itself, they afford indicative 

 evidence of the presence of organic matter, earlier in geological 

 age than the organized forms which abound in other rocks. 



Dr. Charles T. Jackson read the following paper on 

 the coal formation of Deep River, North Carolina : — 



During the month of May last, I had an opportunity of re- 

 examining the coal fields on Deep River, North Carolina, and of 



