392 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 188C>. 



found, of a beautiful whiteness and of a texture which renders it sus- 

 ceptible of a fine polish as well as being readily wrought with the chisel. 

 A few miles from Lynchburgh, in Campbell County, a good marble is 

 likewise found." "The Tye River marble and one or more analogous 

 veins" are further stated to "have all the characters of a statuary 

 marble of fine quality, and should not some peculiarity, as yet unper- 

 ceived, prevent their application to the purposes of the sculptor, they 

 will no doubt be looked upon as very valuable possessions." The writer 

 has seen none of the material from this locality. White and pink 

 marbles of excellent quality also occur in the vicinity of Goose Creek, 

 in Loudoun County. We have seen samples of the white, which for 

 purity of color, fineness of grain, and general excellence, are not ex 

 celled by any marble now quarried in the United States, but the extent 

 of the deposit is as yet unknown. 



The stalagmitic deposits upon the floors of the caverns at Luray, in 

 Tage County, furnish, when cut, occasional fine pieces of the so-called 

 onyx marble, but the stone is too easily fractured and too uneven in 

 texture to be worked economically, even were the deposits of sufficient 

 extent to warrant the opening of quarries. I am informed by Prof. G. 

 B. Goode that it is a common tiring to find mantels of stalagmitic 

 marble in the dwellings of Virginia. These are, however, always made 

 from blocks found loose in the field or in caves near at hand. 



(4) LIMESTONES AND DOLOMITES OTHER THAN MARBLES. 



Alabama. — A dark compact limestone has been received at the Mu- 

 seum from Calera, Shelby County, and a light-colored, finely fossilifer- 

 ous one from Dickson, in Colbert County. The last mentioned closely 

 resembles in general appearance the celebrated limestone from Bedford, 

 Ind., to be noticed later. It appears of good quality, and works readily. 



Arkansas. — Oolitic limestone suitable for building, and having the 

 reputation of being very durable, is stated by Mr. Owen* to occur near 

 Batesville, in Independence County. 



Colorado. — The collections show from this State a coarse, reddish 

 limestone from Jefferson County, and also a very compact, finely crys- 

 talline black stone, traversed by a coarse net-work of very fine white 

 lines, from Pitkin in Gunnison County. This last stone takes a polish, 

 and might almost be classed as a marble. Neither stone is now quar- 

 ried to any extent. 



Florida. — This State at present furnishes scarcely anything in the 

 line of building stone, nor is there much demand for any other form of 

 building material than wood. On Anastasia Island, about 2 miles from 

 Saint Augustine, there was formerly quarried to a considerable extent a 

 very coarse and porous shell limestone which was used in the construc- 

 tion of the old city of Saint Augustine and of Fort Marion, which was 



~*Geol. of ArkT, Vol. I, p. 22oT™ 



