From the liberal patronage extended to similar 
publications in Europe, and the interest which Geol- 
ogy has excited in this country, the author of the 
present humble work was induced to hope that he 
would at least dispose of a sufficient number of copies 
to defray the expenses of the lirst, number ; but he 
has been disappointed. The second number is now, 
however, offered to the friends of science, with eight 
lithographic plates illustrating seventeen species, fif- 
teen of which have never before been figured; and 
the author begs leave to state, that if sufficient en- 
couragement is extended, he will include in twelve 
numbers at least one hundred plates and three hun- 
dred species , a much greater number of American 
tertiary fossils than at present exist in our collections, 
but which the author expects to obtain whilst on a 
visit to the Southern States in the course of the pre- 
sent winter; a journey which he confidently believes 
will furnish novel and interesting facts in the Geolo- 
gical relations of extensive beds of organic remains, 
adding greatly to the value of his present publication. 
The Third number will appear when the sale of 
the first shall warrant its publication, and the work 
will be completed, so far as the materials can be pro- 
cured, within two years from the date of the 3d No. 
Terms . One dollar each number. 
