172 Miscellanies. 
region) uniformly found. In many places the marl is 30 feet deep, 
and over it grass and plants, and even trees, grew in abundance. In 
these places are uniformly found living springs, and abundance of 
snails and muscles, which, with vegetable substances, constitute the 
marl of different colors and qualities. Within the sweep of a radius 
of six miles, there are several hundred acres of marl, at the bottom — 
of which the bones have been uniformly found. Within this area nine 
skeletons of the mastodon have been found, and yet not one hun- 
dredth part of the area has been explored to the bottom: it is prob- 
able therefore that vast numbers remain undiscovered, and that at 
some period this district was fully inhabited by these stupendous an- 
imals. 
The discovery of the bones in a particular kind of earth, affords 
reasonable inferences as to the nature of the animal; while the 
quantities of marl and other productions, furnish also interesting cal- 
culations in chronology.. Covered originally by sheets of water, and 
abounding in aquatic plants, and shell and other fishes, as well as 
amphibious animals, it is probable they afforded a rich repast for the 
mastodon, thus tempting him into treacherous quagmires, where he 
found his death, probably by miring, as happens with cattle at the 
present day.* With these relics of the mastodon were found locks 
and tufts of hair, in tolerable preservation : its color was of a dun 
brown ; length from 14 to 24 inches, and in one instance it was 
from 4 to 7 inches long, of the same color as the shorter, and was 
supposed to be the mane of the animal. 
9. Analysis of North American Minerals, by Dr. Thomson. 
1. Hotmesire.—This is the mineral found, with Hornblende, 
Pyroxene, and Spinel, in white limestone, at Amity, N.Y., and gen- 
recognized as Bronzite, but which Mr. CLemson hiss analyzed 
per: described as Seybertite.t Its sp. gr. is 3.098. 
* Well ave been informed by Mr. Miller in conversation, that most of the skel- 
etons were found with the head and neck bent backward, doubling upon the body, 
as happens to modern animals when, in like circumstances, ons give over to die. 
+ See this Journal, vol. xxiv. p- — Rie Vide at. + yet ake 
- arias “Wy er wul x 0.086 
Silica, = - - s 2 0.170 
Alumina, - “ a : - 0376 
Magnesia, - - Bi = z 0.243 
i F ; é - - 0.107 
Protox. iron, = . is : 0.050 
