New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-06-08
~ - From the Newark Advertiser] 7ssf. |
The Fossils of the New Red Sandstone in |
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sgtf 81 From the Newark Advertiser.] Sistf1
The Fossils of the New Red Sandstone in
Newark QNarries. LS5f
The appearance of the new red sandstone in the
secondary formation is one OF importance, and one
which makes its appearance in our own State, and
within our own section. These rocks, with those Of
the magnetism lime.stones and shaes are everything
the coal formations. whose organic remains are of
great interest The red sandstone does not con.
tain that number of organic remains which are con-
tanned in the coal Marine zoophytes shells and fishes
make their appearance but traces Of vegetation have
been rarely found.
In this section of New Jersey there has been quite
number of both large and small specimens of vege-
table fossils found, which are Of fine appearance and
from letter of Professor Hitchcock, they look as
though they may have belonged to the cactus tribe.
These fossils have been found in the quarres in the
upper part of the city, quite number having been
obtained from Garsides and Cranes quarres. These
specimens are generally obtained in the lower parts
Of the quarries, some Of them being of large size,
though not large the trees of the present day
The stems are not all perfectly round some of them
measuring from two to eight inches one way, while
the other side from to four inches. This
is accounted for by the immense pressure which
must have taken place at that time. Others are per-
fecty round, and probably did not receive the same
amount of pressure and may have belonged to diff
erent class of vegetation The fossils appear to show
the knots and lines of the plants very plainly. Some
of the specimens have incrustaton covering them,
of limestone with mixture of sand, which looks as
though the fossils may have belonged to some class
Of vegetation assuming the appearance Of trees, as
the covering of limestone represents the bark
A great change had evidently taken place in the
globe upon the appearance of this new red system,
which has been applied to these red sandstones
magnetism limestones and notified shales as distinc-
tive name to the old red sandstone which underies
the carboniferous formations. The organic remains
in this system, although few in number, show to the
geoogist interesting state from the changes that
must have taken place since the appearance of the
coal beds. The coal beds well supplied with veg
etabe fossils of various ORDERS and these fossils among
the biologists and naturalists well KNOWN while
those of the new red sandstone but little known
and according to the works on geology are rarely
found. .
These fossils found in our section are of peculiar
interest," and terrestrial plants belonging to the new
red sandstone of our state their origin should be
ascertained. Ornithichnites, which, according to
Prof. Hitchcock, are footmarks Of several extinct
in the valley of the Connecticut. These tracks of
both large and small size the footsteps appearing in
regular succession The intervals are varied in dis
lance. One of these birds is of gigantic sze the foot
measuring inches in length exclusive of the largest
claw, which measured two inches. The three toes
were broad and thick; these found in quarry
only, which is near Northampton, Ct This bird is
supposed to be about twice the size of the African
ostrich The next in size, stated in the Brdgewa-
ter treases is that of bird having three toes rather
slender, measuring from fifteen to sixteen inches
exclusive of remarkable appendange extending back
ward from the heel eight nine inches. The length of
the step of this bird was sometimes six feet On
other tracks they are frequently shorter. The small
est indicates foot of not over inch in length,
with step of from three to five inches. According
to Dr. Buckland the length of the step increases with
the size of the foot and is much larger in proportion
than the step OF any existing species of birds.
j. O. M,