New Jerfey, Raccoon. 281 



obferved, that moft of the wells which have hi- 

 therto been made, have been dug in new fettle- 

 ments, where the wood was yet ftanding, and 

 had probably flood for centuries together. From 

 the obfervations which have hitherto been men- 

 tioned, and to which I fhall add fimilar ones in 

 the fequel, we may, with a confiderable degree 

 of certainty, conclude, that a great part of the 

 province of New Jerfey, in ages unknown to 

 pofterity, was part of the bottom of the fea, and 

 was afterwards formed by the flime and mud, 

 and the many other things which the river Dela- 

 ware carries down along with it, from the upper 

 parts of the country : however, Cape May feems 

 to give fome occafion for doubts, of which I (hall 

 Jlpeak in the fequel. 



Nov. 27th. THE American ever -greens are, 



1. Ilex Aquifoltum, holly. 



2. Kalmia latifolia, thefpoon tree. 



3. Kalmia angnftifolia, another fpecies of it. 



4. Magnolia glauca> the beaver tree. The 

 young trees of this kind only keep their leaves, 

 the others drop them. 



5. Vifcum album* or mifletoe; this commonly 

 grows upon the Nyjja aquatica, or tupelo tree, 

 upon the Liqiiidambar flyracijlua, or fweet gum 

 tree, the oak and lime tree, fo that their whole 

 fummits were frequently quite green in winter. 



6. Myrica cerifera, or the candleberry tree ; 

 of this however only fome of the youngeft fhrubs 

 preferve fome leaves, but moft of them had al- 

 ready loft them. 



7. Pinus Abies, the pine, 



8. Pinus 



