18 Running JS'otes, JJgricultural and [July, 



whole of this distance it tapered, I believe, but two or three 

 inches — indicating a prodigious altitude. No branches have ever 

 been found, going to show that the trunk was covered with leaves 

 alone. Not one of these, though their insertions are every where 

 visible on the fluted stems, escaped decomposition. Traces of 

 the long leaves of the stigmaria are frequently preserved, and 

 the Ferns seem absolutely to flourish in all the variety and per- 

 fection of existing species. Even the impress of their peculiar 

 flowers are frequently and distinctly visible. But it would require 

 too much space to attempt even an enumeration of the coal 

 plants. 



A wagon load of fossils can be secured in an hour, but to ob- 

 tain any thing like a full suite of good specimens, is a work of 

 time and labor. An individual might search weeks or months to 

 effect it. The miners work only to the roof, and consequently 

 have not those facilities for obtaining and laying aside fossils, or- 

 dinarily supposed. They are best found in the deserted and fall- 

 ing chambers.. Some varieties are plentiful — others exceedingly 

 rare — and others are only occasionally stumbled on by accident. 

 Four of us — three as conversant with their mines and the loca- 

 lity of their fossils, as any men in Carbondale — searching a 

 whole day, secured some good specimens. But these added to a 

 stock which one of the company (Eaton) had been collecting for 

 me for some time previously, furnished but a small portion, and 

 not one-half of the varieties, of the collection which it was my 

 good fortune to secure. For the balance, I was mainly indebted 

 to Mr. Clarkson, whose collection far exceeds in extent and variety 

 any other in Carbondale. 



A public museum should be established by the young men 

 of the place, comprising a full suite of perfect and massive spe- 

 cimens, for the inspection of travellers and men of science from 

 all parts of the world. 



After an exploration, similar to that of the forenoon, of sev- 

 eral hours, I emerged, and bade good bye to the mines. The 

 next day I spent in carefully packing a ton of fossils, and on the 

 15th, commenced my homeward journey. I soon obtained a new 



