232 Geology of North Carolina. 



distinguish it decisively from the alluvial. Although a few 

 years since this formation was thought to be quite uninterest- 

 ing, it is now justly beginning to excite a great deal of atten- 

 tion. Professor Mitchell, the successor of Prof. Olmsted in 

 the chemical and geological chair in the University of North 

 Carolina, has however, given so excellent a view of this for- 

 mation in No. 2, of the last volume of this Journal, that we 

 need not dwell upon it. Though personally unacquainted 

 with Prof. Mitchell, we feel constrained to express our grati- 

 fication at the sound geological view that paper exhibits, 

 and to congratulate the University, that its loss, in the resig- 

 nation of Prof. Olmsted, is so well supplied. If he has not 

 given a death blow to the prevalent hypothesis of the forma- 

 tion of the low country of the southern states by the action 

 of the Gulf Stream, and the waves, we know not how sound 

 argument could destroy it. 



Notwithstanding the paper of Professor Mitchell, just 

 alluded to, it will not be uninteresting to the geologist to 

 read the following extract, relating to the organic remains 

 of the tertiary formation of North Carolina, from the Re- 

 port of Prof. Olmsted. For the reason already alluded to, 

 he could not employ all the scientific designations which 

 the geologist would wish. 



Beaufort Canal. 



The opening of the new canal between Clubfoot and Harlow 

 creeks, forming a water communication between Newbern and 

 the Ocean, by way of Beaufort, affords an opportunity to examine 

 the upper strata of this district, and discloses to view a specimen 

 of the curious fossil remains of animals with which this region 

 is stored. These excavations expose a depth of sixteen feet, for 

 a distance of three miles, through a tract that is nearly a dead 

 Level, and they penetrate through the following horizontal strata. 



1. A black mould, such as is usually found in the eastern 

 swamps, capable of producing corn and wheat in the greatest 

 luxuriance. 



2. Potters clay, of a yellowish brown color. 



3. A thin layer of sand, full of sea shells and the remains of 

 land animals, particularly of the Mammoth, or fossil Elephant. 

 Along with a profusion of shells, in perfect preservation, there 

 are not unfrequently thrown out, huge teeth, vertebrae, and 

 skeletons, more or jless entire, of a gigantic race of animals, 

 which, no doubt, were buried here by that great catastrophe 

 which also shut out the ocean far eastward of its original borders. 

 The shells, when first thrown out, are generally unaltered ; but 



