ete 
Miscellanies. 193 
- Indiana. — by David Dale Owen, M. D., Geologist of 
the State, 34 
Divisions of ‘hic stbiect: —aAn introductory Address to the Le 
gislature of Indiana—Leading principles of Geology—Plan of 
conducting the Survey—Summer Survey south of the national 
road—F'all Survey north of the national road—Remarks on the 
mineral deposits, soil and growth, peculiar to the different strata, 
south of the national road ; north of the national road—Practical 
inferences—Appendix. 
‘The survey, hitherto made, has been general, the object being 
to gain a clear and connected idea of the whole, before examin- 
ing particular places, in detail. It was ascertained that the order 
of superposition of the strata was the same as in many other and 
distant parts of the western States, and that the characteristic fos- 
sils of each series of strata agree in a remarkable manner with 
those found in the corresponding strata throughout the western 
States. 
Mr. Owen finds that the entire western portion of Indiana is 
rich in coal, which, as the forests are fast disappearing, must be- 
come of the greatest importance. This fact cannot fail to arrest 
the attention of the legislature, and of the people ; and as a proof 
of the importance of geological knowledge, he cites the instance 
of an expensive, but fruitless, exploration for coal near Baltimore, 
in a situation where a well instructed geologist would never have 
looked for it, as the formation was too recent, and the substance 
discovered and mistaken for coal, was lignite. As evidence of the 
importance of correct geological knowledge, he justly cites other 
instances of the natural associations of minerals; for example, of 
the oxide of tin, with primary rocks, and its absence from more 
recent rocks. The dip of the strata in Indiana is such, being to 
the east, as to place the coal on the top of the formations towards 
the western part of the State, and down the Ohio; except the 
diluvium, it is the newest formation ; while up the Ohio, or east, 
we constantly arrive at older and oldae strata. 
Mr. Owen gives a clear statement of the gubscatboniferous 
eeargets ¥iich, beens ii having an oolitie 
of like the roe of fishes ;” 
his: is of course, geologically, a very different rock from the 
oolite of Europe, whose position is far above the coal formation. 
Next below, is a siliceo-calcareous rock, containing marine re- 
Vou. XX XIV.—No. 1. 
