390 E. Emmons on New Fossil Corals from North Carolina. 



2a 26 



Form lenticular and circular, and similar to a double cone, 

 applied base to base ; surfaces grooved ; grooves somewhat irreg- 

 ular, but extend from the apices to the base or edge. Apex of 

 P. minor provided with a rounded excavation, the opposite with 

 a rounded knob. The description it will be perceived applies 

 to the three smaller figures or P. minor. 



The reproduction of the coral seems to take place invariably 

 upon the common edge of the double cone. A germ bud, or a 

 young one, appears on the edge of fig. la. The multiplication of 

 similar buds produces a change of form, as represented in fig. lc, 

 where the edge appears strongly grooved, or double. The mid- 

 dle figure shows the rounded depression, the right hand one, 

 the knob. 



It is worthy of notice that as the cones are dissimilar, but 

 meet together at the edge spoken of, this edge becomes the plane 

 of reproduction. I do not know however, but germs are also 

 formed in the grooves, but the coral is constantly undergoing a 

 change of form, by the production of germs upon the edge. The 

 individuals are very numerous, the rock being composed almost 

 entirely of them, intermixed with concretions, for 600 or 700 

 feet in thickness. 



The debris of this fossiliferous sandstone has been worked 

 quite successfully for gold. The metal is contained in ferrugi- 

 nous masses, in the rock which appears to have been an aurifer- 

 ous pyrites. Over $100,000 have been procured by pulverizing 

 and washing this material which also very frequently contains 

 the Palseotrochis. 



Albany, September 10, 1856. 



