The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-24

RHnites OF Whoie animal Oh an no
After some discussion IN which Professor Aggasz and
DAVIS joined Prof Rogers cad the following paper
ro:ozoic Age Of Of the Altered Rocks Of Eastern
Massachusetts, from Fossils recently discovered"
well known that the altered states and gritty cks
which show themselves inerrupuy throughout good
part OF Eastern Massachusetts have, with the exception
OF the coal measures on the confines Of this State and
Rhode Island failed hitherto TO furnish biologists any
fossil evidences OF paluzoc age, although, from aspects
and position they have been couecturay cassed with
the system of rocks belonging 10 this period Indeed
meamorphic condition Of these beds generally trace
able doubt to the sionic and other gneous masses
by which they are traversed or enclosed. would natur
ally forbid the expectation Of finding in them any distn
gushabe fossil forms.
Lately through the kindness OF Peter Wainwright ,
ESQ., residing in the neighho rhooi have been led 10
examine quarry in the belt OF slicious and argisceovs
slsse which lies the boundary OF Quincy and brsI".
surprise and delight found tito be aocahy Of VI obite
appears that years past the owney Of the
cuarry Mr. Il Harvard and family have be aware
Of existence Of these so called images tn the ock,
mg aerial Tor wharves bat the locality has
remained entirely unknown to science.
vrea, SIZE and lying q. various Levels in the strsta
30 save explored the quarry, they bee0g chty
authority Of Pro Agsz, as WEEK as my swn eoupsri
With Earrandis descriptions snd figures, Is unfoubt-
speak rther than 70 re marx that me specimens agree
mere closely with sarrauds pr spnosus than with any
The rock IN vaich these fossils occur is q compact
dense, rather nre grained blush gray Give silco
argaceous slate or saty sandstone little or no
carbonate Of Ee In the quarry It displays two systems
Of onts IN Of whchafe seen the usual parallel mark
ings due TO the movement Of contiguous surfaces upon
each other under pressure and Is much broxea by
irregular cleavage planes The strike Of the beds 10
be about n 10 T., and their dip towards the n and w. at
angle OF about ifty degrees The narrow belt OF
states and griss of which the fossferous ne forms
part extends tor some distance towards the ~ and E.,
has il said, been traced for several mixes IN
the opposite direction but yet the discovery OF fossils
has been confined 10 the one locality Crossing the belt
however to the n w., the opposite direction, we
ind the states and grits become iudurasd and
Otherwise iied and then passing into beds Of semi,
aflfna obi Cfr
Thus the ossrous belt Is actually included in this part
Of is course between great masses OF gneoas rock and
surprising that, under con itions favor
able for amorpnc action the fossil impressions should
have been well preserved.
regard the distribution of the genus psradondes,
BArrsnd in his great work. the Systeme Slluren de Ia
Boheme,' has the following important obser vatons-
ssln Bohemia the genus paradOnides characerizes ex
cusiveiy the primordiai fauna, AMI dos net extend
beyond protozoic schsts (C3 The twelve species
which we have determined divide themselves almost
equally between the saty belts OF Ginetz and skrey
and to them both. In these two belts we
hnd the parade ndes spinoss in all the localities which
fossils while each Of the other species Is
restricted to few points principally those OF Gnetz and
skrey"
ln Sweden the paradenides belong exclusively the
local formations designated By Angein regot aud
rsprsssning jointly our pr0soc s ~, ss ~
belt OF Sweden, as rests directly on the azoi;
rocks
"In Great Britain, know, according to the papers
of MIR. Salier that paradonices have been found Ia
the Trappean group (Liugular Flags OF the Survey
which is the Oldest fossiIiferous rock OF Wales,
resting on the agoic sandstone OF Harlcch and Bar
mouth There n, therefore, perfect agreement IN
these three regions to the geological horizon Of
OF the genus consideration. This agreement
acquires still further importance from the afines dis.
played equally and everywhere by the other types which
accompary the psradoudes for instance, ia Sweden
have enus and conocepholes. ia England olenus as
AS thus the genus paradondes IL peculiar to the lowest
Of the paeozolc rocks in bohemia Sweden and Great
Britain marking the primordia division Of Barrandi and
the Iingular Flags Of the British survey, will probably
called upon place the fossil belt Of Q1aey and Brain
tee-on horizon Of our lowest iossieferous
groupthat TO say about the level OF the
primal rocks the Potsdam sandstone and the protozoc
cousin and Minnesota Thus for the first time, are
furnished with data for fixing concusively the
paeozoc age any portion OF this Of ancient and
highly altered sediments and what Is more, for defining
In regard to this region the very base OF the paleozoc
which marx il in various parts OF the Old World.
Referring 70 the occurrence OF paradonides IN the pro
tozoic rocks Of Europe, Barrandi observes s-' The
presence Of this genus as no, been 6efic ma me
has been applied North American forms, such
donides BoItoni and Par. Harani, &c Tue FIRST OF
these known to be schas, and We know nothing Of
the others. The with which j. Hall has described
the trobtes OF the lower suran rocks OF the country
in question: sufficient proof that he had not discovered
any trace OF Par at the tim. Of publishing the hrst volume
Of the Pal Of New York.
may add 20 this that no subsequent publication
have any reference the finding Of fossils Of this
genus 10 the rocts OF North America.
One % the facts relating the trobite OF
The Quincy aud Bantree belt ~ seeming identity With
The PAR Haran described BY Green N his monograph o.
North American trilobnes This description which i
quite imperfect, was made out from specimen Of un
known locality, procured some teaty i've years ago by
Dr Harlan from the coilcSton NI our We'll known nine
ralogist SIR. Francis Ager. That the with the
conspicuous or Quincy fossils - think estab
hshed ~ the comparison Of nearly complete specimen
OF the latter with the Of r. Aaraui taken from Mr.
AgeT specimen the original rever having been returned
Considering the perfect in Theological charac
tsrs Of The mairx described BY Green, with tina. Of
the Quincy fossils, aud the Immediate recoHnon Of this
Quincy spcclmens We can hardly doubt TIA, the original
specimen % T. HAran either directly or through
the dTift scattered 10 the vicinity, from Eos
silerous belt thus appears that this vagrant FOSSIL,
80 long without local habilaon, although not without
takes prominent place In The dynasty Of ancient yiug
iorms thai marked the earliest paleozoc history Of New
England.
10 this connection ind a remark In Barrandi whieh
besides being historically curious. has interesting bear
Ing the sp cinc aniiies u fossil He Observes:
1--WE zee in different collections and especially 10 tha,
the school Of Mines aud the British scum under the
name Of Par Haran from the United states, cast u
pnosus q great SIZE such a. found AT sxrey Ia B1he
mia" The cast here referred % Ike that used
series o. plaster copies prepared by Or Green u &C
COMPANY bis monograph. It. agb cement with S2enlsas
stated III tie oose rsser5ianoe between III Quincy ,ss
me occarrence 81 vel preserved FOSSILS among rocks
~ highly altered and 50 contiguous u great igneous
masses the fossioicro1s satcs or Quincy may
of New Englan1 where heretofore such exploration
would have been deeD med useless. although canno.
hope % build ~ the geological column New Ea tand
The protozoc bare ust eslab he'd tho carbon.
ferrous rocks. supposng al he ntef enng formations 70
be represented this region We may q Toast succeed
The principal stages 10 its structure, AID 10 thus relating
~ strata definitely 70 the great palcozoc divisions Of
Appel. Geology
Tbs led 10 lorg discussion, In which Nr, Hunt, o. Ca
naia Professor fgassiz Professor Leslie Professor En-
mons r VIM. Logan and Professor Hall took part Pro-
lessor AEasK took occasion 10 say thai this paper would
create revolution in the established geological opnions
A. 90 report q The discussion but verbatim would
be ntelgbie, and our space forbifs that we are
PEELED 10 omit 4 altogether.
The section then adjourned 70 meet In the afternoon.
SONS ACCOUNT OF VISIT TO ras VOLCANO or
krLArEA, AND TO THE RECENT ERUPTION or
LAVA FROM THE SUMMIT o. skura LoA on
HAwAff--wrru FACrs And CONCLUSIONS RESPECT.
INC THE IYNAHIcAL tension or MOLTEN NAT.
TEN, A. TffE GENERAL AGENT IN PRODUCING
EARTHQUAKES AND THE UPHEAvAL or ISLANDS