6 Report on the 'projected Survey of the State of Maryland. 



2. Pectens, (scallop shells,) upwards of - - 1 foot. 



3. Clams and peciens, intermixed, - - 3 " 



4. Peciens, - - - - - -1" 



5. Clams, - -.- - -- 3" 



6. Oysters, not determined. 



" Besides these shells which are the most prominent in the strata 

 lalluded to, there are numerous varieties of other marine shells. 



"At the foot of the bank, and perhaps under the deposite of shells, 

 (although the latter circumstance has not been satisfactorily ascer- 

 tained,) it would seem that there is a formation of iron stone of the 

 •nature of a bog ore, and exhibiting numerous impressions of pectens 

 (scallop,) and other shells. 



" Shell marl deposites also occur in the immediate neighborhood 

 -of Easton. They are generally found at the head of the branches 

 making up from the Third-haven creek. In one locality, the depos- 

 ite, which is almost exclusively composed of oyster shells, is covered 

 by a bed of gravel, four or five feet in depth. 



" At a short distance from this, there is another deposite which 

 •consists of broken scallop and oyster shells. This deposite is undu- 

 lated in its superior surface, and lies about seven feet beneath the 

 soil which is sandy," &,c. &;c. 



These notes, it will be perceived, refer principally to spots which 

 have been visited by the undersigned. And although, from transient 

 observation, they had been at first led to assign the commencement 

 of the shell deposites to the Sassafras River, they have since been 

 induced to think, that they occur on Bohemia River. At Oxford, 

 on the Third-haven, these deposites are known to be extensive. 

 There is also good authority for stating, that in Caroline County shell 

 marl is found and has been used. On the south bank of the Choptank 

 River, at Cambridge, in the digging of wells, thick beds of shells 

 have been penetrated ; but, from all accounts, these lie commonly very 

 deep. It may be proper too, to remark here, that extensive accu- 

 mulations of oyster shells, which must not be cofounded with fossil 

 shells, are met with on many spots. This is particularly the case 

 on Chester River ; where the laudable enterprise of an intelligent 

 citizen has rendered them subservient to a great good, by burning 

 them for lime. Similar accumulations exist on the Western shore of 

 the Chesapeake Bay, and are no doubt the work of the aboriginal in- 

 habitants of the country. 



