| OCR Text |
Show Remarkable Fossil Discovery IX Iowa. A remarkable geo ogical discovery was recently brought to light near Ottumwa, Iowa Dr. T K J. Elliott, formerly of Springfield, Mass., strolling about Uttumwa the other day in search of curiosities, dropped in to ex t mine the foundation, for a new mausion building in the upper pari of the city. Being somewhat of a geolo gist, the doctor examined . closely the different strata from above downward, and in the bottom, some twenty-five feet from the original surface, was found a mound ot fossil leaves, bark, blades of grass, b anches of trees, roots and flags, covered with the usual clay shales, sand, gravel and soil. The most remarkable specimen is a fossil fisii-net, in perfect preservation. Un der a glass, the twist, the knots in the meshes, and the fibre of the texture the net is made of, are very beautiful. The substance in which the net i- imbedded im-bedded looks exactly like pressed to bacco, and burns readily, emittiug a greasy odor. The di-tanee from the place where these fossils were found to the Des Al nines river is about two hundred yards. This river, says tbe Ottumwa Conner is remarkable tor its geological curiosities, but this fish n t is the s;reaiest as yet discovered, and shows very conclusively tnat this country has undergone great changes The bed of t e river is constantl. chanaing; but, these specimens were taken from a very elevated situation. Lr. Eiliot invites the attention of geo Inoistj to r.loa nvittwr anil intends showing these specimens to Agassiz. |
