Cabinet of Natural History. 7 



ing two woolen manufactories, two of cotton, three of carpetings, 

 one paper mill, several founderies, three steam engine manufactories, 

 one brass foundery, three flouring mills, one silver plate manufactory 

 and three copperas manufactories, with many other mechanical ope- 

 rations usually carried on in our large western towns. There are 

 three printing offices issuing weekly papers, six churches, one bank, 

 one market house, and thirty trading stores. An abundant supply 

 T)f bituminous coal is found in the adjacent hills for conducting all 

 the various manufactures, and for domestic uses. The continual 

 cloud of dust arising from its combustion, gives rather a sombre look 

 to the buildings and streets, a feature, however, common to all man- 

 ufacturing towns. 



Cabinet of Natural History. — May 1 : I spent a part of" the 

 forenoon in examining Judge T.'s Cabinet of Natural History. He 

 has a fine collection of minerals, shells and fossil organic remains. 

 The minerals embrace nearly twelve hundred species, arranged in 

 natural families. The fresh water shells amount to nearly one 

 hundred species, the greater number of which are peculiar to our 

 streams. The family of the Uniones alone contains about ninety 

 species, all natives of the western waters. His collection of ma- 

 rine shells is also very fine. The library of the Judge embraces, 

 besides a due proportion belonging to his own profession, many of the 

 most valuable writings of Cuvier and Brongniart, in their original 

 language, on the animal kingdom, as well as fossil organic remains. 

 It is truly gratifying to see even a small part of the wealth of our 

 country, and a share of its most brilliant intellect, devoted to the 

 study and the development of the natural history of "the west;" a 

 subject deeply interesting, but until recently, shrouded in much 

 darkness ; within a few years, however, many bright lights have 

 been kindled, which promise to illustrate the hidden arcana of nature. 

 The Conchology and Botany of the great valley have been pretty 

 thoroughly examined, while Entomology, one of the most fertile 

 branches, has been but partially investigated, although the indefati- 

 gable Say made a very fair beginning. The study of fossil vegeta- 

 ble and animal remains, of which the valley of the Mississippi is 

 one vast cemetery, yet remains an almost entirely unexplored field.* 



* The readers of this Journal have only to refer to Volume xxix. No. I. to see 

 ample evidence, furnished by Dr. Hildreth, that much has been accomplished by 

 him and his friends, able pioneers in this wide and rich field of nature. — Ed. 



