322 Dr. Biickland on a Coprolite found in North America. 



in the confused irregularly impressed lines on the surface of 

 my coprolite, I feel assured that I detect the marks left by the 

 membranous coats of the smaller intestines. 



This substance was found some years since by Dr.Mitchill, 

 and presented to the Lyceum of New York. It was found in the 

 ferruginous sand formation of New Jersey. I have a clue to 

 its locality; and if my health permits, will examine the country 

 thoroughly in the spring. The district in which it occurs, is 

 referred to your green-sand formation. Dr. Morton (American 

 Journal, vol. xvii. p. 275) has recently described its fossil 

 contents. As far as I am acquainted with the subject, it ap- 

 pears to be analogous to the chalk formations of your country 

 (crate iiiferieure of the French geologists). This deposit fur- 

 nishes also Mososaurus and Geosaurus, upon which 1 have 

 written a short article for our " Annals." — But to return to 

 the coprolite. Its length is nine-tenths of an English inch, and 

 the thickness of the folds about one-tenth ; in the lower end 

 the folds may be traced some distance. Since reading the no- 

 tice of your memoir, my attention has been called to some ap- 

 pearances which would in all probability have otherwise escaped 

 my attention. In one part of the fossil, there is a (juantity of 

 foreign substances which have not yet been faithfully examined. 

 It appears to be fibrous animal matter with small fragments of 

 quartz. I am. Sir, with unfeigned respect, 



Your humble servant. 



New York, Jan. 26, 1830. J. E. Dekay." 



<' P.S. — I send by the same opportunity a cast of a bone of 

 Megalonyx (metatarsal ?) recently discovered at Big Bone 

 Lick." 



Together with this letter I have received the casts alluded 

 to therein, and entertain not the slightest doubt of the accuracy 

 of Mr. Dekay's conclusion respecting the coprolitic nature of 

 the body from which these casts are taken. I also recognise 

 on their surface the fine lines and impressions derived from 

 the membranous coats of the small intestines. 



Mr. Dekay mentions the occurrence of an extraneous sub- 

 stance, and of grains of quartz, within this coprolite: it is ob- 

 vious that coprolites may contain extraneous substances of 

 various kinds; viz. scales, teeth, and undigested fragments of 

 bones of any animal they ma}' have devoured; also shells, and 

 fragments of shells, e. g. shells of small ammonites swallowed 

 together with their molluscous inhabitants : since my paper on 

 Coprolites was printed, I have seen a small ammonite entire, 

 with its nacre beautifully iridescent, inclosed in a coprolite, in 

 the collection of a lady at Lyme Regis. Miss Anning has also 



found 



