162 Miscellaneous Facts and Observations. 



separated from each other by their divergent parti- 

 tions, which commence at the stem, and terminate at 

 every part of the extremity of the stone. It is said, it 

 had the power of generating the unctuous matter, 

 with which it was filled, while connected with the 

 rock : but I rather suspect, it is some petrified vege- 

 table production, and that the unctuous matter is a 

 substance which was peculiar to the fruit, at the time 

 of its petrifaction." 



/^ Mr. James W. Stevens. 



MS. Journal, hi the posses-ssion of 

 the Editor. 



The above-described stone is in the possession of 

 the Editor. It is, unquestionably, a Madrepore, im- 

 pregnated with asphaltum ; and an inspection of the 

 object will plainly show, that the penetration of the 

 bituminous matter was from without. The spot in 

 which the stone was found (and there are said to be 

 large quantities of the same kind) is a part of the an- 

 cient bed of the sea, in this part of North-America. 

 Bituminous springs are not uncommon in the same 

 tract of country. One of the principal of these is the 

 " Oil-Spring," upon a branch of the Allegeny-river. 



34. Naturalists have observed, that when shells are 

 found in slate, and other schistose rocks, they are 

 generally observed to be in a compressed state; where- 

 as little, or nothing, of this compression is observed 

 upon shells that are impressed in limestone. This 



