On the Gulf Stream and contiguous currents. 349 



A. laticostatus occurs in the ferruginous sandstone, so common in 

 Ulster County, in the State of New York ; and the A. Trimblii is 

 mineralized in the yellow slate, which probably forms one of the 

 layers of the olive slate stratum, so abundant in Huntingdon County, 

 Pennsylvania. Dr. James Trimble has presented me with some 

 very fine fragments of the Calymene Bufo, found by him in this lo- 

 cality. The reticulated structure of the oculiferous protuberances 

 in some of them, appear as perfect, perhaps, as if the animal were 

 in a living state. 



Art. XIX. — ^emarlcs on the supposed cbnnexion of the Gulf 



Stream with opposite currents, on the coast of the United States; 



by William C. Redfield, Corresponding Member of the U. S. 



Naval Lyceum. 



From the Naval Magazine. 



It appears from numerous observations which are recorded in the 

 American Coast Pilot, that immediately contiguous to the borders of 

 the Gulf Stream on the North American coast, a moderate current 

 is generally found setting to the southward and westward, or in the 

 direction which is opposite to the stream, and parallel to the general 

 line of coast. By a natural and familiar association, this current is 

 generally styled an eddy current ; but we shall probably find, on 

 more particular inquiry, that it has little or no claim to this charac- 

 ter. An eddy, as is well known, is usually caused by some fixed 

 obstacle opposed to a stream, and is strictly local, and nearly circu- 

 lar in its action. Moreover, it derives its' waters directly from the 

 parent stream, and necessarily partakes of the same temperature. 

 For the following reasons, therefore, I must- dissent from the views 

 of those who refer this counter-current to the eddying action of the 

 Gulf Stream. 



1. Because this current, in open sea, no where assumes \he form 

 of an eddy, but, when unobstructed by violent winds, maintains its 

 course towards the southwest, on a line which is parallel to the gen- 

 eral direction of the coast. 



2. Because, on the outward edge of the Gulf Stream at least, 

 there are no obstacles presented which could divert the progress of 

 that portion of the stream, and circumscribe the same in eddies. 



3. Because, if this current were derived from the Gulf Stream, it 

 must necessarily partake of its temperature ; but the sudden reduc- 



