394 



Miscellanies. 



eralogists to be one of the most select and beautiful collections ever formed 

 in this country. 



Edenville, April 12th, 1839. 



5. Correction. — In Vol. xxxv, No. 2, p. 375, we mentioned the suppo- 

 sed spontaneous crystalization of liquid carbonic acid in one of Dr. Tor- 

 rey's tubes. In a letter from him dated New York, March 1, it is re- 

 marked that the crystals which we had observed were 

 sulphate of ammonia, which was formed by the combina- 

 tion of sulphuric acid with ammonia during the decom- 

 position of the carbonate to obtain the carbonic acid 

 gas for condensation. He adds, " a very good method 

 of showing the rapid condensation of the carbonic acid, 

 and its ebullition at the same time, is to surround the 

 upper part of the tube with a freezing mixture. Place 

 the mixture (ice and salt) in a bottle, the bottom of which 

 is cut off. The mouth is furnished with a perforated 

 cork, through which the upper part of the tube is thrust. 



"I have been shooting with a kind of air gun, using 

 my liquified carbonic acid for throwing the balls, and I 

 hope soon to emulate Perkins' steam gun." 



carbonic 

 acid. 



sulph. 

 ammo- 

 nia. 



6. Footsteps and Impressions of the Cliir other ivm^ and of vari- 

 ous Animals, in sandstone. — The readers of this Journal are familiar 

 with the repDrts made by Professor Hitchcock, on the foot marks of 

 birds and perhaps quadrupeds upon the sand stone rocks of the val- 

 ley of the Connecticut River. See vol. xxix, p. 307, and vol. xxxii, 

 p. 174. We have cited also those observed ten years ago at Corn- 

 cockle Muir in Scotland, vol. xv, p. 84; and more recently near Hild- 

 burghausen, in Germany, vol. xxx, p. 191. 



We shall now, from the reports of the doings of the Geological So- 

 ciety of London, cite some other facts of this class. We allude to 

 the now famous quarries of Storetnn Hill, near Liverpool, England. 



We have recently received from Prof. Buckland fine copies of these 

 impressions, and it is no more possible to doubt the gpnuineness of 

 their originals, than those of the most recent impression of a foot made 

 in any yielding surface of the present hour. The same is true of the 

 impressions of Prof. Hitchcock, whatever doubt may have been felt 

 by some persons who have never examined them. 



The communication which we now cite was made to the Geological 

 Society by the Natural History Society of Liverpool, with drawings 

 by John Cunningham, Esq. 



