THE TRADE IN COPROLITES. 105 



which gradually becomes red ; next a strata of dark crag, interspersed with 

 every variety of sea shell, under which, and above the loam, we find the 

 vein of coprolites, from six inches to thirty-six inches in thickness. It is 

 found mixed with crag, cement- stone, shells, and water. In some cases 

 there are two veins, with a strata of crag between them ; and at one place 

 it is found in the sand just beneath the top soil. It is worked by digging a 

 long trench about two yards wide, and when they have dug out the copro- 

 lites they dig another parallel, the earth from which fills up the old one, 

 and so on in succession ; as it lies next the loam, the water is very trouble- 

 some, and in most places has to be pumped out. After the coprolites are 

 thrown out they sift away the crag, and when the soil sticks it has to be 

 washed ; it is then spread out on a table, and the shells and stones are 

 picked out by children, after which it is weighed and generally conveyed by 

 water to the manufactory ; there it is ground up and pulverised with sul- 

 phuric acid. Coprolite is principally used for manure, and for adulterating 

 guano, and the refuse is used in the manufacture of fine ware, and some 

 particular kind of paint. The cement-stone is used for building out-houses, 

 and the loam for making bricks. 



These extraordinary diggings have opened such a field, for geologists 

 and scientific men as does not exist in any other part of the kingdom. The 

 fossil remains are so numerous aud rare that we will not attempt to describe 

 them, but merely state the principal things that are found. The remains 

 of the whale and saurian are very numerous, also those of the shark and all 

 kinds offish; but the bones found of land animals, such as the mastodon, 

 elephant, rhinocerous, deer, wild boar, and birds, are not so plentiful. 

 Some of the fossil shells are very rare, and there is a great variety of beau- 

 tiful coral. We find several specimens of wood, all of which receive a high 

 polish, and enable you to distinguish the description. A large assortment 

 of fruits and seeds, most of them very perfect, are also found. 



. The consumption of mineral phosphates, according to a recent estimate of 

 Professor Anderson, of the University of Glasgow, is about as follows : — 



Tons. 



Cambridge Coprolites 40,000 



Suffolk Coprolites 3,000 



And all other mineral phosphates 5,000 



48,000 



Which, being entirely converted into superphosphates, will yield 72,000 

 tons ; at £5 per ton value, £360,000. Coprolites ground to a fine powder, 

 and containing 58 per cent, of phosphates, sell at £2 12s. per ton, and a 

 ton of pure phosphates is consequently sold for £4 8s. In this state, how- 

 ever, the price is extremely low, because it is alleged that the phosphates 

 are in so compact a condition that the plant cannot avail itself of them, and 

 they are only used as a raw material for the manufacture of super- 

 phosphates. 



