Travels in North America

Nov. 29. 1841. — Although we were in the latitude of Rome, and there were no mountains near us, we had a heavy fall of snow at Boston this day, followed by bright sunshine and hard frost. It was a cheerful scene to see the sleighs gliding noiselessly about the streets, and to hear the bells, tied to the horses' heads, warning the passer–by of their swift approach. As it was now the best season to geologise in the southern States, I determined to make a flight in that direction; and we had gone no farther than Newhaven before we found that all the snow had disappeared. I accordingly took the opportunity when there of making a geological excursion, with Mr. Silliman, jun., Professor Hubbard, and Mr. Whelpley, to examine the red sandstone strata, containing Ichthyolites, by the side of a small waterfall at Middlefield, one mile from Durham, in Connecticut. The remains of fish occur in a fine-grained slaty sandstone, black and bituminous, about six feet thick, which alternates with a coarse conglomerate, some of the quartz pebbles being two or three inches in diameter. Small fragments of fossil wood and a ripple-marked surface were observed in some of the strata near the fossil-fish. This sandstone is newer than the coal, but we have not yet sufficient data to pronounce very decidedly on its true age. The footsteps of numerous species of birds afford no indication, because in Europe we have as yet no traces of birds in rocks of such high antiquity, and consequently no corresponding term of comparison.