FOSSIL GEOLOGY OF UNITED STATES. 299 



covered by diluvium. The fact, however, that their 

 remains are so frequently met with in the neigh- 

 bourhood of salt licks, and are in such a state of 

 preservation, would seem to indicate that they per 

 ished at a later period than the general deluge. 

 There still, however, remains the objection, that 

 some specimens have been discovered which were 

 covered to a considerable depth by diluvium. The 

 reader may balance the difficulties, and choose be- 

 tween them. 



The State of New- York abounds with a species 

 of limestone which has been called encrinital, from 

 its containing numerous fossil encrinites, or, rather, 

 made up of comminuted fragments of these fossil 

 remains ; very beautiful specimens of it are obtain- 

 ed near Hudson, and in the Helderbergh Mountains 

 near Albany ; also at Onondaga quarries, Syracuse, 

 &c. It is sometimes, called "bird's-eye marble," 

 and is used for ornamental purposes, as it is full of 

 distinct annular marks of crinoidal vertebrae. 



Encrinital Marble of Derbyshire, showing portions of stems 

 6^ encrinites, lying in relief on a block of limestone. 



