238 



Scientific Geology. 



extremity. The reticulations and grooves are of the natural size in 

 both figures. 



I found this impression on the north bank of Westfield river, in 

 the west part of West Springfield. The shale containing it passed 

 on one side under the river ; the impression still continuing in that 

 direction, as far as the rock could be examined. On the other side, 

 that is, northerly, I found it to extend eleven feet, and at least two 

 feet in width j nor did the margin of the specimen appear in any 

 direction. More recently the spot has been visited by Solomon La- 

 throp, Esq. of West Springfield, who has uncovered the impression 

 eighteen feet in length, and at least four feet in width. Towards the 

 north, he found the reticulations to become finer, until at length the 

 impression ceased to appear in that direction ; but how much farther 

 it extends under the river he could not ascertain. And he says, 

 " how much wider the impression is (than four feet,) I cannot tell, 

 but should presume several feet." Thus we ascertain the existence 

 of an animal or vegetable relic at least eighteen feet long and four feet 

 wide ! and it may occupy twice or thrice that extent ! 



But which is it, animal or vegetable ? I have searched in vain 

 for any thing resembling it in Brongniart's Vegetauz Fossiles, in 

 Parkhurst's Organic Remains, and in all other descriptions of a sim- 

 ilar kind, within my reach. But the reticulations certainly bear a 

 strong resemblance to those on some existing species of Gorgonia, 

 or sea fan : to the G. reticulata, for example, as figured in Rees' Cy- 

 clopedia ; although in this species we see nothing that could have 

 produced the grooves so obvious on the fossil. The fossil Gorgoniae, 

 also, as figured by Goldfuss, especially the G. ripistena and infundi- 

 buliformis* bear considerable resemblance to the impression from 

 West Springfield : but these species are only an inch and a half long. 

 Yet some of the existing species " in deep bays, and similar situa- 

 ations of the sea, no less favorable to their growth and increase, at- 

 tain to the gigantic height of ten or twelve feet ; and from their 

 number as well as magnitude; their remarkable ramose, and foliated 

 or flabelliform appearance ; interwoven structure, or coral-like tex- 

 ture, form a conspicuous portion of those vast sub-marine " groves of 

 coral' K that are sometimes seen by navigators in the hotter regions 

 of the globe."! 



* Petrifacta Plate VII, fig-. 2, and Plate X, fig. 1. 

 t Rees' Cyclopedia, Art. Gorgonia. 



