13 



least, unusual, especially for that kind of rock, and we have no 

 adequate explanation for their development in this particular 

 bed on such a large scale, for the formation as a whole, as far 

 as I have seen it, is quite free from such structures. For the 

 main question, however, we are confident that the forms are 

 not organic." 



I also sent photographs and specimens to Dr. Henry B. 

 Kummel, State Geologist of New Jersey, in Trenton. His first 

 reaction seemed to indicate a belief that they represented some- 

 thing other than an inorganic formation. He wrote: 



"Although you found the specimen on top of Kittatinny 

 Mountain, I am not absolutely certain that it is the Shawan- 

 gunk sandstone, Mr. Johnson [his assistant] has succeeded in 

 getting a slight lime reaction with a little acid. Since it is a 

 drift boulder, it may have been derived from some distant 

 source and may be some other formation than the Shawangunk. 

 The concentric layers certainly look like a marine algal organ- 

 ism, perhaps Cryptozoon. At one or two points there are forms 

 which look like Crinoid stems, but I am not at all sure that this 

 is correct. At a number of points also I notice what seems to be 

 somewhat definite indications of a cellular coralline structure. 

 Some of the tubular holes look to me more like worm borings 

 than cavities from which pebbles weathered out. Others, how- 

 ever, are unquestionably due to differential weathering. All in 

 all, my guess is that the specimen was originally a sandstone 

 bound together by calcareous cement and that some lime secret- 

 ing organisms assisted in its formation. I believe that we have 

 something more here than merely water-laid sand layers." 



Upon hearing Professor Berkey's views, Dr. Kummel said he 

 thought they were probably correct and that the material was 

 not organic in origin. He referred to cone-in-cone structures in 

 western calcareous shales, which had a striking resemblance to 

 some of the V-shaped cross sections of the concentric markings 

 of my specimens." 



Well, here are the varying views on the subject. I still think, 

 with all respect to these distinguished authorities who differ, that 

 we may have some evidence of organic origin. Others have sug- 

 gested the rings may be due to lime or silica secreting marine 

 animals. Dr. Howe has described some unquestionable fossil 

 algae with concentric circles and microscopic cell structure in 



