The New York herald., 1851-08-29

but that there are other causes wnicn TEND 10 pro
duce, and have produced, strstihcstion equal
ly extensive and varied, is, ! think, clear
" shown by the following observations
My attention was first drawn TO the subject during
the past summer, while engaged in the analysis Of
soils By the process adopted. the soil was worked
upon filter, for considerable number of days, in
some cases for period as long as two weeks, and
was dried st o temperature Of 200 deg. FAIR The
residue Of the soil, left upen the filter, consisting
chiefly of silica and alumina, was found, after dry
ing in every instance, to be more or less stratided
and that too by divisional planes in some cases not
at all concident with any division OF the materials,
although this is apt to take place. The strata 30
produced were, H. some instances, exceedingly per.
feet and beautiful, not altogether horizontal,
but slightly curved, and in some degree con-
forming to the shape of the funnel The production
Of lamiD@ was also observed, especially by the
parallel plates, when moistened with water.
These arrangements, it is evident, were not caused
by any interruption and renewal Of the matter de-
tcles deposited, but from two other causes entirely
distinct, and which conceive to be these First,
from tendency in earthly matter, subjected to the
flt0ring, soaking and washing Of water, for con-
siderable period, to arrange itself according to its
degree of fneness, and thus form strata; and, Sc
condly, from tendency in earthly matter, consoli-
dated both by water and subsequent exsication, to
divide, Independently of the fneness or quality of
its component particles into strata and lamin9
The tendency Of the earthly matter is generally to
divide along the lines formed by the arrangement
of che particles, according to their nature quail
ty. This is not, however, always the case, as was
proved by the observations noted and which is also
conclusivey shown by the examination of almost
any stated rocks In the valley ofthe Connecticut,
where the sandstone remain unaltercd to any great
degree by heat dslocaton, the pro.
duced by the several causes may be clearly seen and
studied. On the western edge of this deposit, We
have rocks composed of strata, which would at
once be referred to the action of tides or inunda
tions, by the most inexperienced observer The
rafn hay from anti Af a n a n
IN thickness; they also covered With mud acks,
and the variou, markings which are usually found
upon q shore beach. In other portions Of the
valley, we have stratadivisiops, occasioned by the
lines which separate material differences either in
quality nature, in the separation of the shales
from the sandstODes, the coarse conglomerates from
the fine sandstones or the highly bituminous shaes
from those less bituminous. And then upon the
trtme eastern edge of this sandstone deposit, we
find strata, the leaves of which measure one, two,
and even three feet in thickness, each embracing in
itself matter ranging from coarse conglomerate
to the finest sandstone and yet none of these, with
in the limits of the particular strata leaf in which
they included, exhibit the slightest tendency to
break or divide in any one direction more than
another. The observations here stated, am happy
to find, have been noticed to some other extent by
others conversant with the Of stratifcation.
Sawdust subjected to the flterng action of water,
has been observed by Prof Agassiz, to assume a
regular stratifed appearance. The same has also
been noticed by Dr. Hayes, in the vats into which
clay, used for the manufacture of alum, washed.
have also noticed regular stratfcation in the dried
deposit of puddle in the streets, where no appa-
tent change in the character Of the materials de-
posted could be noticed. and where there was, GER
tainly no interruption of deposition. If these di-
visions of qualification which / have pointed out,
be aomitted, it is not improbable that many OF
what is now considered disturbed or tilted strata,
may be their normal condition.
ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF MAMMALIA, BY CHARLES
GIRARp, OF WASHINGTON.
Two diagrams were exhibited, one showing the
ideal gradation of the various groups constituting
that class, and another illustrating its chronology
past history during geological ages.)
In the proposed revision OF the classification OF
mammafa, the chief groups remain circumscribed
within nearly the same limits as they now stand In
our systematic works zoology. The few modid-
cations introduced may be shortly mentioned
first, the removal of the elephant from amongst
the seals and their association with pachyderms,
of that group evidently indicates a herbvorous
diet, as Prof Il. Wyman has already shown
whilst sc ais are true carnivora second, the subdi-
vision of the order pachydermata into two undar
mental groups, the proboscidiansp pachyderms, the
lowest type OF which will be the manati and the
extinct dinotheiium, and the nonproooscidians be
ginning with the sea elephant (trichechus) followed
by the hippo potamus and the numerous extinct
genera OF the hippopotamoid and tapiroid pachy-
ocrus third, the monotremata (the water mole Of
The Australian settlers, and the porcupine anteater)
which are generally considered as marsapiata
(ksngaIoo) would also be removed from that orde
and united with edentata.
| Now, as to the organic graduation of the orders
and families, listed IL cannot be represented
by an ascending and upright scale, starting from I
loweImost grade TO an uppcrmost one, nor can the
natural orders and families constitute, by them
selves, independent and parallel series withou
come ction with each other. There are inferio
eending tendency manifested in the class, as a class
as n unit emanatng from the creating mind. The
organic gradation must, therefore, be the expires
sion Of the material manifestation Of that mind
-. H. ..s- 4
class.
Let us proceed: at the bottom Of the class, and
standing on the same level, We place two orders
eaentata and marsupiata. They are the proto
Rioups:-cetacea, (whales and dolphins); sircnidia
(mabati, the mermaids Of our sncestors); pschyder
nata, ,(hppopotamus, hog, horse andelephant); ru-
miDaniia (oxens, dees, &c u rodenta, thares mice,
squirrels, &c); insectiyora, pinnipedia, (seals);
and carnivora, (bears, dogs, cats) These are the
normal groupes of the class exhibiting its fullest
develop nent into as many greups rs are synthetr
cally combined and foreshad, xed in the t~o orders
below, viz, edentata and marsupiatia; monotre-
mata foIeshadowiDg the cetaccans, edcntata pro-
per, (anteater, papgons and tatous); the insecti-
vora and the extinct heavy bodied grsrigrada,
(rpegatberium, megalonyx, &o); the ruminants
and pacby yderDs The ro tenta are foreshadowed
by the her3ivorous marsupata, the insectivora
again by the insectivorous marsupiata, Tin con-
junction with inseciivorus edentata); ana finally,
the carriyora are foreshadowed by the carnivorous
mauJIia
The normal groups are followed by few others
which appear to us rs outgrown branches Of the
msmmic tree, as deyiatlons Of the typical plan. as
caricstures; thus the bats flying squirrels, and
squirrels generally-the sothes aud monkeys; the
bats issuiug from the insectivOrous stem-the
squines, from the rodental stem-the sothes,
n, IN the rumininantisi stem, and the monkeys,
fiom the carnivorous stem. All these groups have
a tenoency Of becoming monkey like; all of them
have propensity to quit the ground and rise above
It either in tress, or In the atmosphere. The her
bivorous stems giving Use to the group which feed
upon roots and fruits-the carnvorOus and in
pcinofous stems becoming partly frugvorous-
the O,ber part remaining carnSorous aud insect
NOiVus.
There is a prevailing thought throughout the
class which We nave thus attempted TO illustrate,
veiy perfectly, it is tue. but the more shall
investigate the sub Get in that light, the better we
shall te prepared to write The episodes of the his.
tory Of mtmmalia
As TO he chronology Of the order Of succession
OF tic various groups Of mammslia In time, we al
ready have data OF great Importance rnc marsa-