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 

 encrinites, lying in relief on a block of limestone. 



