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Prof. Bailey himself and, on examination, it is found to have 
the general characteristics of these deposits ; that is to say, it 1s 
of a grey color, light in density and very friable; and is made 
up of the siliceous skeletons of such species of Diatomaceze 
as grow in small fresh-water lakes, ponds and marshes. In 
fact, Prof. Bailey says, that this deposit, which was “ eight or 
ten inches thick, and probably several hundred square yards 
in extent,” was discovered ‘about a foot below the surface of 
asmall Peat-bog, immediately at the foot of the southern 
escarpment of the hill on which the celebrated Fort Putnant 
stands.” He considers the remains present in this stratum to 
be “in a fossil state.” And here, perhaps, it is desirable to 
say something with regard to the use of this term. Its origin 
would warrant its being applied to anything dug up out of 
the earth, and as Mr. Page remarks in his Handbook of 
Geological terms, ‘hence the earlier geologists spoke of 
native fossils or minerals, and extraneous fossils, or the bodies 
of plants and animals accidentally buried in the earth.” For 
myself I am disposed to restrict the term fossil to the remains 
more or less perfect of organized beings dating anterior to 
the present epoch; if we can conscientiously speak of epochs 
at all where the progression and rate of change has been so 
gradual. Considered thus, then, these remains of Diatoma- 
ceze cannot be classed as fossils, and at once the geologist 
perceives that they are to be taken into account in a very 
different manner from what they have been hitherto. So 
much then for Lacustrine Sedimentary Deposits of Diato- 
mace, and I trust that I have made clear as to what they 
are, and how they are formed and forming. At the time I 
made his acquaintance, and he presented me with a specimen 
of the West Point deposit, Prof. Bailey expressed an opinion 
that similar strata would be found beneath every pond and 
bog in the country. The clear scientific vision of my late 
friend, is evidenced in the fact that this prediction has proved 
almost literally true. I have about one hundred such speci- 
mens, and am continually receiving others. Several I have 
already described, and others remain to be examined, and 
facts with regard to the geographical distribution and other 
