Fossil Remains in Maryland. 



117 



A dark ash-grey bed, very compact and firm, requiring 

 the pick-axe for some few feet, and fracturing into large 

 flakes. Then sandy, somewhat firm, the colour a shade 

 darker, and so continued without any marked difference 

 to the bottom of the well. No pebbles or gravel were 

 found below fifteen feet. The bones were found six feet 

 within this dark ash-grey bed, at thirty-two feet from the 

 surface. 



6. Was any vegetable matter or shells found near the bones, 

 and of what kind ? 



Ans. Vegetable matter was found a few feet below the bones 

 in considerable quantities, but exceedingly decayed, rendering it 

 impossible to say of what kind. From the size of the pieces re- 

 moved, I at the time judged them to have belonged to some tree.* 

 These vegetable remains were intimately blended with a fine 

 compact earth, which, when separated, had a knotty, snake-like 

 appearance. No shells were found remaining near the bones, 

 but their impressions were found in great abundance, a few above, 

 but vast quantities below. There are both univalves and bi- 

 valves. About twenty-eight feet below the bones, a bed of oyster 

 shells, one foot thick, was found ; and a few feet below them, a 

 number of shells, and some few teeth of fish, all in a perfect 

 state of preservation. 



7. What bones have you found 1 Do you think they are the 

 bones of one animal, or of more than one ? Give a rough sketch 

 of the grinding surface of the largest tooth. 



Ans. There were only found two vertebrae, and parts of several 

 ribs. The length of the largest vertebrae is four inches and five- 

 eighths. The distance from the extreme end of one transverse 

 process, to the extreme end of the other, six inches and a half.f 



The spinous process, as well as the spinal arch, is wanting, 

 having been knocked off. The diameter of this vertebrae, at its 

 largest end, is three inches and five-eighths ; its shortest two inches 

 and a half. The spinal arch is entire ; its greatest diameter one 

 inch and three-fourths ; its shortest, one inch and a fourth. The 



* Lignite ?— Ed. 



t In this measurement, I have allowed for that part of each transverse procesSj 

 which is wanting. 



