Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-03-29

D'"n' f''"u'' 7"' 80
They also differ much in thtrelative width
OF the maxillary and Intermediary bones, as
developed on the upper side ofthe snout. the
Intermediary being wider thar the maxiiary
iu Cuviers figure, while in the bssi. the latter
is twice the width of the forme. The lines of
the face appear also to be stnghter, and the
coronal proc IS less elevated, making the up-
\ per portion Of the head hatter il the fossil than
in the d. leuc1S.
That this fossil cetscean belongs to the genus
Deiphinns # Linng;s r, and to Lacepede's sub
genus, D'tph'naptcriS, have lnle doubt but,
as already stated tits highly probable that it
/ belongs TO different species from Gmeln's
L"c IS. ] wonld, Therefore, propose Delphinus
, 'ermoHfdnuS fIr its provisional specific nlmp,
until It's identity with the D. leucaS or some
! other I'm wn species, shall be established.
Inc locality, where these fcssl bones were
tounl, is situated little more than one mile to
tne eastward OF late Champlan, and GO feet
above the mean ieve of the lake. ascertaincd by
the railroad survey. The mean height of the
lake is 20 feet above the Level of the sea. max
ing the height of the point, where the fossils
were imbedded, $50 feet abote the sea. The
geological formation, in whichthey were found.
Is very clearly characterized Ii belongs to
that portion of the Post. tertiary, which has
sometimes been denominated the PleiSi0ceae
formation. This formation extends along the
"hoe length OF lake Champlan, aud through
out the valley OF the St Lawrence. On the
east side OF the lake, III Vermont. it frequently
auaIhs width OF several miles, and, in places,
exceeds lOO feet in depth. II consists, for the
most part, OF regularly stratifi.d clay arI sand
resting upon the Champan rccks, or upon un-
Strained dnlt, and portions OF 1t abound in ma.
rine blvaIve fossil shells. Tiese shells are of
sew raj species, nearly, or quite all of which
are now found IN living state on the Atlantic
shores of New England: and it is common to
md them with their valves united. with their
eplderms undisturbed, and buhed in such a no.
sItlon as to show, unequvocally, tina. they
lived, propagated and died, in Me places where
they are found. The most abundant spec;es
is the SangHinoiria (usca The MIA areaa-
ra, Sa10ara rHg1Sa and Myil edui, are
quite common. Some other species are occa-
sonaly found.
The cat for the railroad, in which these fos-
slI o'nes were obtained, is nearly half a mile in
length, extending from north to south. and its
greatest deptl is about eighteen feet. The
uep'h OF the cut, at the place were the skeleton
was found, is ten feet. About four feet of this
depth, rec koning from the natural surface of
".0 S'ounu, coHslstS OF san1 showing no signs
OF stratficaion. Next below this is a mixture
OF sand and clay, which is regularly and dis
lInct'y stratitied, for depth of two and half
ieet below which is vast bod OF fine blue
clay, in which observed no signs of stratifica-
iIon, and which appears to have been, previous
TO The deposit of the sand and clay above it, "A
- "' e-;~~ L. 'io I-.,,er ,ert of tho ctr ,,;s
ned sand and clay and nearly in contact with the
upper surface Of the blue clay, the shells of
SanguinoIoria jusca and .Uylius edulis were
exceedingly numerous. Below these, embed
ded IN The blue clay, were the fossil bonoS The
mead OF the skeleton was towards tho northwest
and lay lowest, while the body and tail extend
ed towards the southeast The highest part of
lhe skeleton was about eighteen inches below
the upper surface of the blue clay, or eight
ieet below the natural surface of the ground.
In the clay, mingled with the bones, found a
number OF specimens of Saric1ra rugosa and
TWO or thee of Nucuiq and also found in it
SUCH Indications of vegetable remains as to
ieaVe little doubt that this clay bed once and
Tor long time, constituted salt marsh, with
rushes and grasses on the shore of the Pleisto.
can' sea that then occupied the valley of lake
Champan.
Burlington, VT, Jan. |, 1850.