No. 2. Specimens of Coniferous Wood Saturated With Bitumen. II 



SPECIMENS OF CONIFEROUS WOOD SATURATED WITH BITUMEN. 



BY PROF. H. C. FORD. 



This wood was obtained from an ocean cliff at Car 

 pinteria, on the land owned by Mr. P. C. Higgins. 

 Some years ago I noticed some logs of wood protrud- 

 ing from this cliff but not until a recent visit have I 

 been able to make a detailed examination of the local- 

 ity and the specimens. The wood was imbedded at a 

 depth of 25 feet from the top of the cliff and about 10 

 feet above tide water. The overlying material consists 

 as follows : (1), 4 feet of surface dirt, (2), 3 feet of 

 sand stone, (3), 4 feet of sandstone containing water 

 worn boulder, (4), 3 feet bituminous sandstone, (5), 

 sandstone conglomerate with boulders from 3 to 6 

 inches in diameter. In this the io^s are imbedded. 

 Below them is 3 feet of the same rock, resting on light 

 colored limestone. At the point where the wood is 

 found this ancient drift sinks into the limestone in a 

 pocket-like depression which would indicate a suitable 

 resting place for the wood after diluvial action. 



The wood bears the undoubted characteristics of the 

 coniferous family and seems to be a Sequoia, whether 

 the sempervirens, gigantea or extinct species, 1 am un- 

 able to determine. It is highly impregnated with bitu- 

 men and to this fact may be owing its well preserved 

 structure. Fragments burn with a clear flame, the; 

 mass passing into a semi-fluid state similar to first-class 

 bituminous coal before entire consumption. I-n the 

 neighborhood are numerous places where the bitumi- 

 nous tar is oozing from the rocks. , 



ALLANITE. 



f 



BY OR. L. G. YATES, F*. L. S. 



This mineral was named after Mr. T. Allan, who 

 discovered it among mineral specimens taken from 



