Geology ^c, of the Connecticut. 43 



Organic Re7nnins. 



These are very rare in our old red sandstone. 1 found, 

 however, in Deerfield mountain, one or two specimens that 

 belong to the petrifacta of Martin ; there being a perfect 

 substitution of a finer grained sandstone for the original 

 substance. I found only fragments, about four or five inches 

 long, and they appear to belong to the ^enus phytolite of 

 Gmelin's Linnaean System, and to the species lignite. 

 They are a third of an inch in diameter, and a little flat- 

 tened ; and seem to agree with Professor Eaton's descrip- 

 tion of certain petrifactions found in red sandstone on the 

 Catskill Mountain; (Index p. 211.) which he is inclined 

 to refer " to the tribe of naked Vermes." 



Fossil Bones. 



These occur in East Windsor, east parish, one hundred 

 rods south of Ketch's Mills. They belong to the conserva- 

 ta of Martin, and, without much doubt, to the genus zooli- 

 thus of Gmelin. The animal must have been about five 

 feet in length, and lay horizontally in the rock, eighteen 

 feet below its top, and twenty-three below the surface of 

 the ground. The tail bone, as Dr. Porter, who lives near 

 the spot, informed me, projected beyond the general mass 

 containing the body of the skeleton, about eighteen inches 

 in a curvilinean direction. This, of which that gentleman 

 gave me a specimen, was easily distinguished by its nu- 

 merous articulations. On exposure to the air, the bones 

 begin to crumble and lose the appearance they presented 

 when first dug up. 



The rock in which these bones were found, is decidedly 

 the old red sandstone. It agrees exactly with that rock 

 as it exists at New-Haven, and to the distance of one hun- 

 dred miles north from that town. The rock enclosing the 

 bones is a little coarser than the finest varieties of this 

 rock, and in the rock above the bones, was found some 

 moderately coarse conglomerate. Whatever doubt I had 

 with regard to some other varieties of rock in that vicini- 

 ty, being the real old red sandstone, I could have no 

 doubt in regard to this, after examining it. 



