PETRIFYING SPRINGS. 159 



carbonate of lime, and llie sulpliatc of lime is also found in beds enclosed within it. The 

 composition of this water is what might be expected from the nature of the strata through 

 which it passes. The water from one of these springs had a faint smell of sulphuretted liy- 

 drogen, and contained a little carbonic acid. In 1000 parts, I found 



Solid matter, consisting of carbonate and sulphate of lime, and 



sulphate of magnesia, 1.94 



Water, 998.06 



It is a curious fact, that in this water the sulphate of lime is in the largest proportion, while 

 no trace of it can be discovered in the tufa. If this be true of all these springs, the sulphate 

 of lime must be converted into a carbonate at the moment of its deposition, or soon after that 

 deposition has taken place. 



It has been conjectured that the conversion of vegetable into mineral matter is intimately 

 connected with the phenomena of slow putrefaction, and that these must be studied whenever 

 we attempt to reason on the conversion of fossil bodies into stone.* 



In many of the specimens found at Chittenango, the petrified leaves, apparently of the 

 beech, are much thicker than those which have not vmdergone this change ; and from the 

 prominence of the midrib and nerves, I am inducetl to think that the change commenced with 

 the decay of the fleshy part of the leaf, and was completed by that of the more solid or woody 

 portions. 



In my Second Annual Report, I offered some views in regard to the manner in which the 

 process of petrifaction is conducted. These, however, have been controverted ; and I am not 

 at present prepared to offer others less objectionable. ■ - 



I have thus completed my account of the Mineral Springs of this State. Numerous and 

 important as they now are, it cannot be doubted that the catalogue will hereafter be greatly 

 extended. Being fully sensible of the great interest of the subject, I have devoted to it as 

 much time and labour as a due regard to the other parts of the work entrusted to me seemed 

 to warrant. 



* ZiijclVs Address to the Geohgical Society of Loudon, 183T, 



