Art. VI. Petrified Wood from Antigua.

The mineralogy and geology of the West-India islands has been, as yet, but little explored. The scientific world has, however, been favoured with some interesting articles from the pen of Dr. Nugent; and we are informed that he has described also the geology of the island of Antigua. We have recently become acquainted with one interesting production of this island, and without waiting for Dr. Nugent's account, (which we believe has not yet reached this country) we shall lay it before our readers.

We are under obligations to Mr. Pelatiah Perit, of New-York, for a collection of specimens of silicious petrifactions of wood from Antigua. Their characters are indubitable; the distinct ligneous layers corresponding with the annual growth, the medullary prolongations, the knots formed by branches, the cracks and the bark, are all distinctly visible. Some of the pieces are ponderous portions of large trees.

As to the mineralizing matter, it is evidently silicious, and the specimens are principally the holzstein of Werner; crystals of quartz are apparent in the cavities; some parts are agatized, and veins of chalcedony occasionally pervade the fissures: they are not impressible by steel, and give fire with it. According to the information of Mr. Perit, they are scattered over the surface of the Island of Antigua, with a profusion hardly less than that which Horneman observed of the same mineral during his travels over the eastern part of the great African desert.

It is much to be wished that our numerous intelligent navigators and travelling merchants would, in imitation of this and of a similar example, mentioned below, bestow some share of their attention on the natural productions of the countries which they visit. In this way they might, on their return, render very essential services to the science of their own country.