Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-06-16

Interesting Discoreries.-Somcm months
ago. DIR. VI. ". Dickinson. of the Academy
OF Sciences, was sent from Philadelphia for
the purpose of investigating the geology of
the Valley of the Mississippi DIR. Dickin-
son, who Is now in this city, is one of the
most industrious and distinguished eyplor-
crs of the wide field of geology in this coun-
try. His discoveries have opened new paths
for the nominations of the student in this all
important science, and reflects wcll-earned
honorS on himself. Very lately DR.. Dick
mson made tour of inspection through that
portion OF Alabama i'll which abounds the
rotten limestone formation. This is partic-
ularly the case in the vicinitics of Clark,
Washington, and Claiborne counties, in that
State. Heretofore this formation has been
considered by biologists as a dctrius from
shells, &C., but by the power of glasses it
has been proved to be entirely different.
DIR. Dickinson informs us that it is 4 huge
coral reef, where gigantic branches shoot.up
several feet into a beautiful ab0rcsccnt form
in lis original bed of the primcyal ocean.
Al its base are the fossil remains of the huge
ugsodor, shark, fishes, &C.; many of the
former from forty TO one hundred feet long,
winding in scrpcntine form among the coral.
Below this were found the remains of an ex-
tensivC sea. the bottom Of which was lined
with bed of shells, varying from 30 to 50
feet. i'll Il fine state of preservation. These
beds yielded a great variety of shells, many
of which may be still found in our present
seas, and hence must have been of COMPARE
lively recent formation. Below this was
found huge oyster bed, imbeddcd in blue
mari or clay, in their original position.
Some of these oysters measured fifteen in
chcs i'll length, and weighed from ten to fiji
teen pounds. Succeeding this stratum were
found the bottoms of several ancient seas,
lakes, and rivcrs-all yielding numerous fine
fossils. Many of these fossils DIR. Dickin-
son has forwarded to the Academy of Nat
ural Sciences in Philadelphia.
We learn that DIR. Dickinson starts in
day or two for the parish of Cunrordia, to
investigate the geological formation of that
section of our Statc.-DcHa.
SCRAPS OF INFORMATION.
The number of plants in the world has
been varlously estimated NJ from 10000 10
100000.
The largest tree in the world is in Africa;
several negro families reside inside of the
trunk
The Nepunthus Of India furnishes water
in It's leaves, which not only have FUCKERS,
but covers to them.
The Pear leaf has $4,000 pores TO the
square inch, on the under side The Pink
has about $500. Some plants have as
many us 100000.
4 single Barley corn in Paris, produced
% columns containing 5000 cornS of Bar
lev.
Ray the celebrated Botanist counted 3d.
900 seeds in the head of poppy.
There are $4,000 seeds i'll the capsule
Of a tobacco plant.
Halter SAYS that single house fly will,
in one season, produce 20,0S0,2I0 flies.
HcnW1M ,A7Swcr.-What wonderful
questions children often ask, and what equal
" wonderful answers do they sometimes
give. What can be more touching than the
following anccdotc which we find in the \.
\. Organ:
a friend of ours, while dressing very
young child, a few days ago, said i'll rather
an impatient tonc-"vou are such n lump
of shape, it is impossible to make any
thing fit YOU The lips of the child quiz
cred, and looking up, it said in a deprccat-
ing tone, " God made mel" Our friend was
rcbukcd, and the little lump was kissed
dozen times.
THE NdccdOniGn.--A recent number Of
the Dublin Freeman thus aludcs to the fri
gate Macedonian which was sent to Ireland
from this country with provisions:
:" Ii Is a curious fact connected with tl!n
present service of the Macedonian, that she
once belonged TO that class of ships which
Lord John Russell so recently assured us
could not be used for such vulgar purposes
rs the carving Of food to furnishing people.
The Macedonian was then an English war
ship, hui was captured by Com. Decatur,
of the American ship"i ,ntcd States after
a severe and wcll-fought struggle. On the
25th Of October. 1912. she struck her flag,
and became the property Of a nation whose
government thinks 1t not wrong TO devote
var-ships to the salvation Of human life;
and this once English trigatc, now n natur-
allied American, is engaged in bringing food
10 the starving Irish subjects Of the Queen
of England, service she would never have
performed, had she not exchanged the Union
Jack for the star-spanglcd banner"
S,1day.-Thc battle Of Palo Alto was
fought on Sunday, the sth day Of May.
The Mexican army arriN we'd and took po-
sition in front of Monterey on Sunday, the
10Th day of cptember-the battle common
ced the next morning.
The battle of Del NOrte, New Mexico,
was fought on Sunday, the 2ith day of Jam
uarv.
The battle of Buena Vista commenced on
Sunday, the DIST day of February.
The surrender Of the city and castle of
Vera Cruz was made to Gen. Scott on Sun
day the 9th day Of February.
The battle Of Sacramento. Chihuahua,
was fought on Sunday the 2Sth of March.
The battle Of Cero Gordo commenced
on Sunday, the 18th day of April.
! UhOH take II om?-There is letter in
| the Poughkeepsie Post Office directed to
/ 49,