314 NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



The foregoing sketch of the fossils of the marl beds of the 

 eastern counties, is far from being complete. Numerous spe- 

 cies still remain unnoticed and undescribed. It seemed to be 

 desirable, however, on many accounts, to illustrate some of 

 the interesting contents of these beds, which are truly the 

 only historical mementoes which now remain to us of the ages 

 during which they lived. It will appear, on examination, that 

 I have placed by far the largest number of species in the mi- 

 ocene. I have thus placed them because the shell marl beds 

 contain so large a number of the acknowledged miocene fos- 

 sils of Virginia ; and besides, there are many which replace 

 miocene fossils of Europe. 



In conclusion, it is due to myself to remark, that the cir- 

 cumstance under which many of the determinations have been 

 made, rendered it impossible to consult authorities, and hence 

 it may turn out that many species which have been marked 

 as new, will prove to be old ones already described. The 

 course I have pursued may have been injudicious, and hence 

 may open the way for censure; still, under the circumstances, 

 I deemed it the best I could pursue. 





