230 Geology of North Carolina. 



specimens of the rock in which it is contained. I have no 

 hesitation in saying, that it is the red marie, or saliferous 

 rock, so prolific in gypsum, in various parts of the world. 

 If I am not mistaken therefore, the geological relations of 

 the Nova Scotia gypsum are ascertained.* 



In the selenite and compact gypsum from the same 

 place, I found disseminated small masses of bituminous car- 

 bonate of lime, of a dark color, and resembling the fetid 

 limestone sometimes found in the same situation. 



Art. III. — Notice of the Report on the Geology of North 

 Carolina, conducted under the direction of the Board of 

 Agriculture ; by Denison Olmsted, Professor of Chem- 

 istry and Mineralogy in the University of North Carolina. 

 In two parts, pp. 141, 1824 and 1825. 

 (Communicated.) 



It has not been owing to any doubts as to the value and 

 merit of this publication, but to circumstances beyond our 

 control, that we have so long delayed the execution of our 

 resolution, made upon the first appearance of this work, to 

 give the readers of this journal a detailed account of it. The 

 valuable geological facts it contains, would be a sufficient rea- 

 son for devoting to this purpose a few pages of a work, in- 

 tended, like this journal, to be a record of the natural histo- 

 ry of our country. But there is another reason that prompts us 

 to this labor even at this late hour. It will be recollected that 

 this geological survey of North Carolina was authorized by 

 an act of its legislature, and to this day it remains a conspicu- 

 ous and solitary! instance, in which any of our state govern- 

 ments have undertaken thoroughly to develope their mineral 

 resources. It was attended, we are told, with an almost en- 

 thusiastic success ; and certainly confers great honor upon its 

 projector, and upon the intelligent representatives, who pro- 

 vided the means of carrying it into execution. It is a good 

 example, therefore, to hold up before other legislatures, to 

 induce them to adopt a similar course. The subject, it is well 



* In a letter from Mr. Frances Alger, of Boston who has examined the beds 

 of this rock in N. S. he says, " the sulphate of lime and fibrous gypsum occur 

 in red sandstone near its junction with greenstone." 



t South Carolina has we learn engaged in a similar enterprize, under the di- 

 rection of Professor Vanuxem. 



