Notice of Minerals from Palestine. 29 
Like the marl of Mount Bolca, and of Maestricht, it em- 
bosoms great numbers of fish. Sometimes half a dozen are 
found in one piece of a few inches dimensions. Like the 
fish of Verona, they are preserved in the condition of mum- » 
mies, the skeletons remaining more or less entire, and the 
muscles dried and preserved; the colour is exactly that of 
the fish at Verona. ‘This interesting and important locality 
should be further investigated. 
There are good specimens of bituminous coal, burning 
freely with abundant flame ; and very well characterized bi- 
tuminous shale, which burns almost as freely as the coal, 
but leaves a large residuum in the shape of the stone. It is 
evident from these specimens that there is good coal in that 
country, and probably it is abundant. 
The specimens being forwarded by the way of Smyrna, 
many were left behind which may perhaps be received here- 
after ; and of a considerable number more the labels appear 
to have been displaced, so that their localities cannot nowgbe 
determined. Most of them, however, as is evident from the 
very distinct organized remains which they contain, belong 
io the transition, or earlier secondary limestones. 
It is evident from the nature of the specimens, that if they 
represent the country correctly, Mr. Bird has sketched in his 
letter the true character of those parts to which the speci- 
mens refer. 
If we were to indulge in those associations of sentiment 
and feeling which so many revered and venerated names are 
adapted to awaken, we might extend these remarks much 
further. This has been recently done by Professor Hall, in 
a not dissimilar notice of minerals from Palestine, already 
published in this Journal. 
Those missionaries who, while pursuing the benevolent 
objects of their perilous and noble enterprises, find time also 
to observe facts illustrative of science, confer an incidental 
favour on mankind, and give their missions an adventitious 
advantage in the eyes of those who may thus he led to regard 
the main design with more favour. 
Yale College, Sept. 7, 1825. 
