And the “ Great Carolina Marl Bed.” 9 
etc., etc., cemented together by oxide of iron, or lime. 
They often contain Pebbles of water-worn quartz. 
Bonrs. The bones which are found in such num- 
bers intermingled with the Phosphate-rocks, are not 
rocks in any sense of the term, nor are the PHOSPHATE- 
rocks bones. Many believe the Phosphate-rocks to 
be masses of true bone fossilized; but this is a mis- 
take; they never were bones at any time, but were orig- 
inally Calcareous rocks. This is evidenced by the 
shells, corals and corallines of which they are com- 
posed ; and by the general character of the “mother 
bed” from which they were taken to be redeposited 
in basins, where by a chemical process (hereafter 
described) they were converted from a Carbonate of 
Lime-rock or Marl, into a Phosphate of Lime-rock, 
containing very little Carbonate of Lime. 
EARLIESD NOMICE OF THE PHOSPIIATE 
ROCKS: 
This seems to be the proper place to introduce a 
short article which appeared in the August number, 
for this year, (1870,) of THE RuraL CAROLINIAN, 
under the above heading. The author signs himself 
P. H. M., and refers the reader to a notice of Phos- 
phate rocks published by Judge John Drayton (1802) 
in his ‘“ View oF SouTH CAROLINA,” page 40, and he 
gives extracts which I quote in part, as follows. In 
alluding to the regular Phosphates, he says: “ Teeth 
