332 On the Secondary and Tertiary Formations. 
Arr. VIII.— Observations on the Secondary and Tertiary Forma- 
~ tions of the southern Atlantic States ; by James T. Hover, 
~ Member of the Association of American Geologists.* With an 
Appendix, by 'T. A. Conran. 
Messrs. Editors,—Havine spent a few months of the last 
year in making a tour on horseback through parts of the south- 
ern Atlantic states, I have put some of my observations into the 
present form, and if you deem them worthy of a place in the 
American Jouthel oF Science, they are at your service. My 
pie’ was to. obtain from. my own notice a general idea of 3 a 
large portion of our country not familiarly known, but so rapidly 
did I pass through it, that my notes are crude and imperfect. 
From the investigations of Mr. Conrad, to whose instructions I 
am much indebted, the accompanying lists of fossil shells, which 
I there collected, were made out, and a few new species a are 
now added to our catalogue of the tertiary fossils. 
Until I arrived in the southern part of Virginia I was unable 
to see much of the “marl beds” of the tertiary, owing to the 
snow and ice that covered the ground. I found, however, that 
the marl extended all along the eastern ‘section of the state, 
that it was extensively used as a. manure by the planters. On the 
Rappahannock, seven miles. below . Fredericksburg, the bed is at 
least ten feet thick, and so conveniently exposed that vessels might: 
come alongside and load with it, if it were important enough (© 
transport. It ney abounds ‘in shells, and also contains teeth of 
ks, and fossil bones. Nearly all belong to extinct species 
and the wih Bee 8 are those most common to the lower 
oor ent Eg pipe properties of the marl appear to depend 
almost ¢ pon the ynate of lime afforded by the slow and 
long continued eit piielals of the shells; it contains more o 
less of the green sand, but in too small proportion to er 
to its richness ; and the quartzose sand and- mica. that consttul® 
remainder of it can be of. little service. The effect of this 
marl upon the cotton and clover is superior to that of any other 
matter, but then it is pot on at the rate of 700 bushels to the 
\unicate aK ok scare A of th he Associ- 
