Miscellanies. 423 
These are from that portion of the Tertiary mass, called by Mr. 
Lye tL, the older Pliocene Period, and were discovered about nine 
years ago by Mr. Joun Fincu. 
The new genus of fossil shell from New Jersey, is from the ereta- 
ceous deposit of Timber Creek. It falls within the family of Spher- 
ulacea of Blainville. It approximates most to the genus Saracena- 
ria of Defrance. Mr, Lea calls it Palmula, from its palmate figure ; 
the species is denominated sagittaria. 
The concluding contribution to geology, afforded by this volume, 
relates to a very recent Tufaceous, lacustrine formation, near Syra- 
cuse, Onondaga county, New York, observed by the author some 
years since, while travelling upon the canal. It first attracted his no- 
tice as lining the banks of the canal. He describes it as a calcare- 
ous marl of a whitish color, bordering on that of ashes, as friable and 
rather soft to the touch. It contained numerous perfect specimens, 
of the genera Lymnea, Physa, Planorbis, Paludina and Ancylus, all 
of which are analogous to the species at present living in the waters 
of that region. ‘The shells were completely bleached, and generally 
in an unbroken state. He crossed it on a line, east and west, of 
about two miles, but-its width and depth he was unable to ascertain. 
A deposit of the same kind was observed near Chitteningo, fifteen 
miles east of Syracuse, which the hydrography of the country pre- 
vents from being considered as belonging to that first noticed at Syr- 
acuse. 
Deposits of this kind are certainly worthy of every possible eluci- 
dation, both on account of their supposed variety, and the link they 
furnish us, by which to connect those more ancient and widely eXx- 
tended formations, with such as approach our own period, in the cir- 
cumstances of their formation. For the purpose of eliciting further 
information, we would state that a similar formation, containing not 
only the same shells, but also embracing occasional mixtures of car- 
bonaceous matter, resembling lignite or peat, exists in the immediate 
vicinity of Montreal, in Lower Canada. 
5. New Work on Conchology.—Proposals have been issued by 
Russell, Odiorne & Co., Boston, for a treatise on Couchology, by 
Joux Warren. “This work will contain a comprehensive sketch 
of the most distinguished writers on Conchology, from Aristotle to the 
present day, and will form a complete history of the rise and progress 
of this delightful science. 
