Scienlific and General Memoranda. 233 



merit in the matter is quite obscured, and seems in danger of be- 

 ing forgotten. We were glad to see the following passage in Dr. 

 Brewster's Journal for July, 1831, from the pen of Mr. J. T. W. 

 Johnston. " It is time that the northern fashion of naming metals 

 after the barbarous deities of their forefathers, should be explod- 

 ed." We have before expressed the same sentiment, and trust 

 that the claim of Professor Del Rio, being now made good, it 

 will be excused on our part — since the signal must be set from 

 some quarter — that we have, upon this occasion, taken the lead 

 in giving it the appropriate name of Rionium. — Ed. 



Supposed Tides of the North American Lakes. — In Silliman's 

 Journal, for July, 1831, is a very satisfactory paper by Major 

 Henry Whiting, U. S. army, on this subject, with a " table of ob- 

 servations on the rise and fall of the lake at Green Bay, made 

 by Gov. Cass, in 1828." The extensive circulation of that Jour- 

 nal, diminishes our regret at not having room for its insertion. 

 This table, where the day of the month, the time of the day, the 

 course of the wind, the strength of the wind, and height of the 

 water, have distinct columns, and which commences July 15, 

 1828, and ends August 29th, comprehends one hundred and 

 eighty observations. In this paper, planetary influences are 

 stated to have no observable appreciable effect, on the alleged 

 changes of elevation in the waters of these lakes, whether pe- 

 riodical or irregular ; the which are probably connected with the 

 causes alluded to, towards the end of Gov. Cass's letter. We refer 

 our readers, interested in the subject, to this valuable paper. 



Petrified Forest. — The following remarkable account, in a let- 

 ter from G. H. Grossman, to Lieut. B. Walker, both of the U. S. 

 army, is taken from the Illinois Magazine. 



Jefferson Barracks, May 1, 1830. 



Dear Sir, — It affords me much pleasure to comply with your 

 request, with regard to the " Petrified Forest." 



You ask for a " memoir" on the subject, but you must be satis- 

 fied with the following attempt to give you merely the " facts" 

 as they came within my own observation, without venturing a 

 single speculation beyond the effects produced. I wish rather 

 to leave the subject in abler hands than mine; and if I can aid, 

 in any way, to solve the problem, by a statement of simple facts, 



Vol. I.— 30 



