380 Fossil Remains of the Mastadon. 
proaching to granular, interspersed with a few grains of sul- 
phuret of lead. The other part is ofa reddish brown color, 
of a compact somewhat resinous fracture, interspersed with 
yellow and black spots. I found by analysis, that the brown 
stony substance differed from the common earthy carbonate 
of lead only by containing a small quantity of peroxide of* 
iron, the yellow spots being also ascrtbable to that oxide, and 
the black ones to partly decomposed sulphuret of lead, hav- 
ing still, in its interior, some undecomposed sulphuret. Judg- 
ing from the pieces, we conjecture that the earthy carbonate of 
lead which we found among the refuse, is pretty abundant in 
these mines, but as the miners are not aware of its value, the 
greater part remains in the mines, and that which accidental- 
ly comes up with the other ore, is rejected as useless. 
New-Harmony Gazette, April 17, 1827. 
XIV. Luminous appearance in the atmosphere.—In Vol. 
xi. No. 2, of the Journal of Science and Arts, Mr. C. At- 
water has communicated an account of a spot or spots, near 
the horizon, appearing as if lighted, and giving rise to a be- 
lief that there was a great fire in that direction. He remarks. 
that he has often noticed these light spots in Ohio, but not | 
on the east of the Alleghanies. 
I would only remark that I have observed similar phenom- 
miles. J expected, in that instance, every hour to hear that 
some building in Shutesbury or New-Salem, had been burnt ; 
and so strong was my belief of it, that I repeatedly asked my 
neighbors whether they had heard of any such event. At 
last 1 met a gentleman who had just come from one of those 
towns, who told me he bad heard of no fire in that quarter, 
which convinced me that the phenomenon was merely atmos- 
pheric. N. WEBSTER. 
XV. On the Fossil Remains of the Mastodon lately found 
in Ontario County, New-York.—By Jer; VAN RENS- 
_ SELAER, M. D. 
Sais. New-York, March, 1827. 
Dear Sir,—The fossil remains of a mastodon having been 
discovered some ago near Ontario Coun- 
agers 
. 
