24 INTRODUCTION. .-.. 



removed in a perfect state. In the few boxes which I have 

 received, seven shells are not referable to any known genus, 

 and two hundred and ten species, besides nine species of Po- 

 lypi, are not referable to any known species. These are now 

 first described, and figured. Sharks' teeth of several differ- 

 ent forms ; part of a claw of a species of Cancer; some 

 fragments of a fossil very similar to what Brander figures 

 under the name of Palalium piscium, and the tooth, spine 

 and vertebrae of fish were found among the sand. In the 

 further investigation of this stratum, the fossil concholo- 

 gist has a field rich in its products, and the harvest will 

 amply reward his industry. 



" No. 4. This represents a thin stratum lying upon the 

 above, No. 3 ; it is about eighteen inches in thickness." 



This specimen was large, and on breaking it into frag- 

 ments, casts of several genera were observed. The calca- 

 reous matter of the shell presenting nothing more, ge- 

 nerally, than a white powder, being completely de- 

 composed, identification of species was impossible. The 

 genera which seem most to prevail, are Jlvicula, Venus, 

 Crepidula and Turritella, and were I to decide on the mat- 

 ter, I should, perhaps, refer them to the same species 

 which exist in the inferior stratum, No. 3. The mass of 

 the rock is friable, easily separating into irregular pieces, 

 and is composed chiefly of light and dark green grains of 

 quartzose sand. These grains do not present angles, but 

 are rounded and smooth, and are cemented by carbonate 

 of lime, the analysis proving the mass to possess about 

 thirty-three per cent. It will scarcely admit of a doubt, 

 that this is of the same epoch as the last described stratum. 



" No. 5. A specimen of a stratum, two feet thick, next 

 above No. 4, and lies under a thick stratum of rotten 

 limestone, which reaches near to the top of the bluff." 



This is a mass of sand and shells slightly adhering, 

 by an earthy ferruginous matter, which gives a reddish 



