Miscellaneous Notices in Mineralogy, Geology, §¢. 245 
Immediately west of the road, is a narrow marsh thirty 
or forty rods wide, at the western extremity of which, a 
steep bank rises, perhaps twenty feet in height; through this 
bank at right angles to it, a chasm has been worn by a small 
stream, to the level of the marsh adjoining. The banks of 
the chasm thus formed, disclose a mass of loose earth of a 
dusky white, exhibiting an appearance very much like that 
of a bed of slacked lime, somewhat aluminous, when tritur- 
ated between the fingers; it has a degree of lubricity; when 
it is soaked by the enters it adheres to the shoes like com- 
mon clay, difficult to rub off. 
In some places in ‘es vicinity of the stream, where the 
ctae hahaa ete ee eee dried again by 
he action of the sun, the surface exhibits nodules of the 
size of a walnut, minutely perforated, appearing like a very 
moss, its organization also, like that t of moss, be- 
ve very easily destroyed, by compressing it with the thumb.. 
Detached pieces are found, possessing a curious struc- 
ture. At first it would seem that they were pieces. of turf, 
the roots of which had been incrusted with lime ; but the 
whole is easily reduced to a fine white powder by tritura- 
tion. In some cases this ramification is very minute and 
very beautiful, in others it is coarser and very ir 
Some exhibit the pia ea the incrustation of a lime- 
stone cave, but without polish and very porous. — 
This earth is very easily deprived of its carbonic als: 
and is converted into a finely pulverized quick-lime resem- 
ling wheat flour. 
quantity must be onan as the whole bank 
appears to be composed - 
. 24. Virginia and Wlinois fluor Sper oe 
In Dr. Bruce’s Mineralogical Journal, ‘Vol I. p. 79. there 
is a notict-of wie, Vargibin Bulk spt, CO mu itt aioe 
pay en getaerterr is seen 7 a6 be 
of ‘ies irginia, and © TE aD. Wr, Banos e monte 
ok Kale Oallege, we summer, received @ onion 
rs Some circumsta1 
or cinoma Professor aro een It appears 
See et L i fi foot of the north moun- 
te 
as 
+ 
