

Miscellaneous Intelligence. 145 



8. Hieroglyphical Mica Plates from the Mounds; by E. Geo. 

 Sqtjier, (in a letter to Prof. Silliman.)— You have probably observed 

 a paragraph, going the rounds of the newspapers, credited to a journal 

 published at Lower Sandusky in this state, to the effect that a number 

 of inscribed plates of mica were recently discovered, in excavating an 

 ancient mound near that place. These plates are represented, in the 

 account, as oval in shape, measuring seven by ten inches, and "cover- 

 ed with hieroglyphics of different and beautiful colors, betokening a 

 more advanced and entirely different state of the arts than has hereto- 

 fore been discovered in the remains of the Indian tribes I" As this an- 

 nouncement has created some degree of interest, and elicited some in- 

 quiries, it will not be out of place to observe, that one of the plates has 



ness 



A 



the point mentioned. The form of the plates and their size are cor- 

 rectly represented, but the hieroglyphics are nothing more nor less 

 than discolor ations caused either by the infiltration of a mineral solution 

 between the laminae, or by its presence at the period of crystallization. 

 The material is very well known as graphic or hieroglyphic mica> a de- 

 posit of which occurs upon the Schuylkill, not far above Philadelphia. 

 Although the discoloration, following the planes of crystallization, falls, 

 in places, into right lines, it seems utterly unaccountable that they were 

 mistaken for the work of man ! This is another illustration of the 

 very loose manner in which facts relating to our antiquities have been 

 placed before the world :— a looseness, unfortunately, not entirely pecu- 

 liar to newspaper statements. The plates are very pretty specimens of 

 the mineral, and are each perforated, near one of the ends, with a small 

 hole. They were undoubtedly used for purposes of ornament. Mica 

 is common in the mounds, sometimes cut into the form of scrolls and 

 other ornamental plates. I have taken a bushel of the sheets from a 

 single mound. 



9- Water-Power of Europe, (Mining Journal, April 10, 1847.; 

 curious communication has been addressed to the Paris Academy of 

 Sciences, from M. Daubree, containing a calculation of the quantity of 

 beat annually applied to the evaporation of the water on the surface of 

 the globe, and of the dynamic force of the streams of continents. He 

 fi nds that the evaporation employs a quantity of heat about equal to 

 one-third of what is received from the sun ; or, in other words, equal 

 to melting a bed of ice of nearly thirty-five feet in thickness, »f spread 

 over the globe. The motive force of the streams i"^" rope is, 

 fording to M. Daubree, equal to between 273,508,970 and 364,678,620 

 horses, working incessantly during the whole period ot the year. 

 t 10. Auroral Belt, of April! , 1847.-Observat.ons made at IJurt- 

 H Conn., by P. W. Ellsworth, M.D., combined with those made* 

 New Haven, show that the auroral bow or arch of April 7, I**/, J" 

 ^vated not less than 100 miles, nor more than 120, above the earth 9 

 sup [ace. The observations will be published in the next number 



A similar auroral bow or arch was seen at various places in ^§' an °' 

 011 the 19th March, 1847. According to the mean of v ™ ous f XX; 

 tK *s, its elevation was about 177 miles. A brilliant display of the Au 

 r o<* Borealis was seen at New Haven, on that evening, but do wq» 

 arch was visible here up to ll h 30™. ?. M. *" °* n ' 



8 *cobi> Seiuss, Vol. IV, No. 10.— 3»\y , 1B47. W 



