USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 33
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 33
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In the spring of 1843, the Baptists purchased a house for public worship in Lancaster, on Chestnut, near Duke street .- Their present pastor, October, 1843, is the Rev. Leonard Fletcher, of the American Baptist Missionary Society. He and the Rev. Enos M. Philips of Colerain, are the only Baptist ministers in Lancaster county. They have three places of public worship.
THE MORMONS .- A few are found in the county who hold the views of this sect; and also some theoretical Millerites, who are ready to ride into notice on every "cloud of novelty." These are babes in knowledge and piety, and full-grown in the love of the world-ceaseless in schemes " to raise the wind." Besides these, there are also several African churches in the county.
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CHAPTER XIII.
GEOLOGY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
FOR an extended view of the Geology of the county, we must refer to the final report of the general survey authorized by the State government.
In glancing over Mr. Scott's very beautiful and accurate map of Lancaster county, it will be seen that the surface is broken by irregular east and west ranges of hills, no one of which can be properly styled a mountain. Commencing at the south, we find an extensive formation of primary stratified, or meta- morphic rocks, such as mica slate and talcose slate, the latter having garnets imbedded in it. These are quite abundant on the Susquehanna, below Pequea creek. Occasional patches of limestone* and clay slate occur, and the latter is extensively worked for roofing purposes, at a place called Slate-hill .- Ascending the river, we find the same formation extending to Turkey-hill, where it terminates, about two miles below the village of Washington, or about the fortieth parallel of latitude.
The next rock in ascending order, is a close grained, very hard, siliceous sandstone, best seen at the mouth of the Chic- quesalunga, between Columbia and Marietta, where it strikes the Susquehanna in a bold bluff upwards of three hundred feet in height. It is found at the opposite boundary of the county, and extending into Berks, forms the hill on the south side of Reading. A great deal of iron ore (argillaceous oxid and hematite) has been taken from the clay overlying this forma- tion, which although possessing some of the characters of the preceding, such as large veins of quartz, and traces of fel- spar and tourmalin, may probably be looked upon as the lowest of the transition, rather than the uppermost of the pri- mary stratified. This conclusion, however, could scarcely be attained from an examination of the rock, limited to our own localities. To understand it fully, it must be studied in the state of New York.
$Two miles below the mouth of the Conestoga, for example.
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Next above this lies "formation number II" of the state. survey, including the tracts of limestone found in our valleys and level districts, and approaching the base of most of the larger hills, but seldom itself rising into ridges much above the general undulations of the surface.
The northern border of the county is made up of a formation of red and grey shales, or soft slates, grits, and pudding stones, furnishing in some places a material sufficiently hard and compact to afford an excellent material for mill stones. These are accordingly wrought out of the large detached fragments found upon the surface in Cocalico township. In several loca- lities the same formation has afforded indications of coal, but as it is entirely distinct from the great coal formation of the commonwealth, it is very probable that veins which can be advantageously worked, will never be discovered. Iron ore is of rather frequent occurrence, and we have met with indica- tions of copper. In several localities on the southern border of this series, the curious calcareous rock called Potomac marble occurs; namely, east of Bainbridge, and north of Man- heim.
But the most interesting feature in the Conewago hills, is the large amount of weathered blocks upon the surface, of a hard grey stone made up of white and black particles. This is a trap rock of the variety called greenstone, and identical in composition with the smaller ridges which traverse different parts of the country, under the name of ironstone, a mineral remarkable for the sonorous ring produced when struck. The finer texture of the latter is produced by the rapid cooling of the material, consequent upon the comparatively small quan -- tity of matter; this rock being of igneous origin, and injected from below in a melted condition. In the Conewago rock the quantity of material is so great, that in the length of time required to solidify, the constituents were able to enter into combinations ; or crystallize, in a manner; whence the felspar and hornblend appear in distinct particles ..
A flood sweeping across these hills, has carried large blocks of the rock for miles southward, and beyond the reach of the highest floods of the Susquehanna. That a powerful current swept over the country from the north-west, is proved by the additional fact that primary sienitic pebbles are found among
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the accumulations of gravel which must have been derived from the regions of the great lakes.
Besides the ores of iron mentioned, the sulphuret occurs in detached cubic crystals, over a considerable portion of the surface ; galena, or sulphuret of lead, and plumbago, have been found in small quantities ; and chromate of iron and sul- phate of magnesia have been mined in the southern section of the county, for economical purposes ; but as we possess no granitic rocks, our list of mineral species is much more meagre than those of the counties lying more to the east.
NATURAL HISTORY OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
IN'giving a sketch of the Natural History of a single county, in a work of this character, it is of course necessary to com- press the matteras much as possible, as the zoology and botany would separately require volumes equal to the present one in size, were they to be discussed at some length. Ourcollections have been made more with a view to the Natural History of the commonwealth at large, than to any particular county ; so" that no care has been taken to prevent objects collected in other parts of the state from being intermixed with those now under consideration ; whence it has been necessary to omit the mention of some which may have been collected within our borders.
A note of interrogation has been added to some species to indicate that the species may not be properly named, or may not occur within the boundary of the county. Thus among the fishes, not having been able to examine the trout found in our streams, we quote the name Salmo fontinalis with doubt; and Menopoma Alleghaniensis has been cited with a question, because this reptile has been caught in the Susquehanna some miles above the boundary line of the county. We have in- serted both species of " black-snake," not being certain which of the two occurs with us ; but it is not improbable that we have them both. We have seen a green snake in the south-west-
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ern part of the county, but not having a specimen, are unable to name it with certainty.
English names are given to such animals as have received them, and short notes have been added to some of the species to enable the reader to recognize them; but it would have extended this article to too great a length to follow out this plan to any considerable extent. The objects are so numerous, that in most cases, a dry list of names must suffice ; as the reader who wishes to know more about the object themselves, must refer to works expressly devoted to their history. Some of these are noted at the foot of the pages ; but unfortunately several of the more important branches are still unillustrated, as the fishes and insects ; and much as works devoted to these branches are wanted, it is probable that little will be done until the necessity calls forth the patronage of legislative enact- ment, as in Massachusetts and New York.
Our vertebrate animals, except the fishes, are pretty well known to naturalists, and the number of species found within the borders of the county, may be stated approximately as follows : Beasts, 30; Birds, 180; Reptiles, 40 ; Fishes, 50.
Among the Mammalia, the Cervus Virginianus (deer) might have been included, as it sometimes crosses the Susquehanna from York county. The Lutra Canadensis (otter) is said to have inhabited the islands of the Susquehanna at an early day ; and within ten years, a species of wolf has crossed the same river from the western side.
But the greater part of the zoology of most countries, is that which takes cognizance of the ANNULOSA, including the exten- sive class of PTILOTA or winged insects; the ARACHNIDA, Or spiders; the CRUSTACEA, of which the crab and lobster are familiar examples, and of which class all our springs and streams contain species, some of them so minute, as to be re- cognized with difficulty by the naked eye ; and the class AME- TOBOLA, represented by the centipedes found under stones and logs.
Taking all these together, the number to be found in Lan- caster county, cannot fall short of six thousand species; the PTILOTA or winged insects being the most numerous, and of these, the order Coleoptera (distinguished by having the wings folded under a pair of hard elytra) is the most extensive ; and
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although they do not possess the brilliant beauty of the Lepi- doptera, or butterfly order, they have hitherto secured the prin- cipal attention of entomologists; whence it happens that they are best known, and we have devoted more space to them than to the remaining orders.
The Coleoptera deserve a careful study, as a knowledge of their habits will enable us to turn them to account in the de- struction of noxious species. Thus the genus Coccinella (la- dybug) feeds upon the Aphides or plant lice, so destructive to roses and other plants ; and in their larva state they may be found upon the leaves of useful vegetables, devouring small insects or grubs which, when numerous, destroy the plants by eating the leaves. The Cecidomyia destructor (wheat fly) is extensively destroyed in the grub state, by the young of another minute insect. The carnivorous tribes are readily distinguishable from those which feed upon vegetable food ; and the greater number and variety of the former to be found in gardens and fields, the more likely will they be to destroy the noxious kinds, or to prevent their increase by the destruc- tion of their eggs.
There can be no necessity in giving common names to ani- mals which have not already received them, as they can be just as well recognized by the scientific name. Common names are frequently local, and the same name is applied to different an- imals in different parts of the country ; whilst the scientific name, being that under which animals are described, are known in all parts of the world, whatever may be the language spoken. The English apply the name ground-hog to an Afri- can animal not at all like our ground-hog, which some authors call by a name under which most people would not recognize it. One of our hawks is called a buzzard in England, and our buzzard a vulture. A mammal is called gopher in the west, and the same vulgar name is applied to a tortoise in the south. In a work upon North American birds, one author has called our Hirundo rufa (barn swallow) chimney swallow! doubtless because it is like the chimney swallow of England ; instead of preserving this name for the Chatura pelasgia, which actually frequents chimneys. Bald eagle is the common name for Ha- liatæus leucocephalus throughout the United States, yet some people affectedly call it the whiteheaded eagle! Thus it some-
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times happens that authors use neither the proper nor the common name of an animal, but adopt one, perhaps entirely unknown to those best acquainted with it.
The scientific appellation is the only true name of a plant or an animal, as no other will answer our principal purpose, that of giving a distinet name to every organized object. Nothing is gained by naming certain insects weavil, hammerbug or schnellkaefer, when there are more than a hundred different kinds of each in Pennsylvania, each of which has its proper name. We call an insect the rose bug, but this name will not enable us to discover the true appellation under which it may be found in European books, whether English, French or Ger- man. A little consideration upon this subject will convince any one that an animal or plant is not properly known until we are acquainted with its name, and every one interested in the study of zoology or botany, should endeavor to become familiar with the proper names. Naturalists themselves are often to blame in this matter, from a jealousy that the public at large will finally become as wise as themselves; and they accordingly invent English names which they set forth in large capitals, so that the proper names will be less likely to attract attention.
MAMMALIA *- BEASTS.
Four species of bat occur in Lancaster county, viz :
Vespertilio Carolinensis; chesnut brown above, yellowish beneath : V. Noveboracensis ; reddish brown: V. pruinosus; fur dark, tipped with white: V. subulatus? Scalops Cana- densis; mole. Condylura macroura; star-nose mole. Sorex brevicaudus ; found along water courses, where it constructs burrows in the grass. Procyon lotor; the raceoon is not un- common in some parts of the county. Mustela erminea; de- scribed under this name by Godman, and usually called weasel. Mustela lutreola ; mink. Mephitis Americana ; the skunk or polecat. Vulpes fulvus ; red fox : V. einereo-argentatus ; grey fox. Didelphis Virginiana ; possum, incorrectly named o'pos-
* American Natural History, by John D. Godman, 3 vols. 8 vo. plates.
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sum in modern books. Fiber zibethicus; muskrat. Arvicola xanthognatus ; meadow mouse : A. viparius; tail short, inhab- its marshes. Mus agrarius? Gerbillus Canadensis ; kanga- roo, jumping mouse. Arctomys monax ; ground-hog. Sciu- rus cinereus ; cat squirrel : S. Hudsonius ; red squirrel : S. ni- ger ? black squirrel. Tamias striata ; ground squirrel. Pter- omys volucella ; flying squirrel. Lepus sylvaticus ; rabbit.
REPTILIA *- REPTILES.
Testudinata.
Cistuda Carolina; the color of the common land tortoise is yellow, mottled with dark brown or black. Emys geographica; shell 8 inches long, with a ridge along the back ; dark brown, with lighter, indistinct, irregular lines ; used as food, and usu- ally called terrapin. Emys Muhlenbergii? 4 inches long, a large orange spot upon each side of the neck; doubtful as a native of this county. Emys picta; 5 inches long, margin of the shell marked with red stripes, common in ponds and small streams, fond of reposing in the sun. Emys guttala; black, with small yellow spots, less than the preceding, with which it is frequently found. Emys insculpta ; yellow and black, each plate comprising the carapax or upper shell is roughened by concentric and radiating furrows, a back spot upon each plate of the sternum. E. rubriventris? sternum marked with red ; it may be found in the lower parts of the Susquehanna. Sterno- thorus odoratus ; length about 4 inches, dark brown, sternum very narrow, carapax oval, convex and smooth, chin with several small warts. Kinosternon Pennsylvanicum ? nearly resembles the preceding, but the sternum is wider, and separ- ated into three parts, not hitherto observed within the county. Emysaura serpentina; (snapper) head large, tail long and strongly serrated above; highly prized for "terrapin soup."
OPHIDIA-Serpents.
Coluber constrictor ; blacksnake : C. sipedon ; watersnake : C. sirtalis; gartersnake: C. saurita; gartersnake: C. septem-
" Holbrook's North American Herpetology. 5. vols. quarto.
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vittatus ? gartersnake : C. punctatus ; greenish orange below, a light ring around the neck : C. amænus; light brown with violet reflexions, head very small: C. eximius ; house-snake ..
The above species are at present included in several genera. . Heterodon platirhinus ; viper, harmless. Trigonocephalus contortrix ; copperhead.
SAURIA-Lizards.
Tropidolepis undulatus; inhabits woods, brown, mottled, scales very rough, tail long, active, innoxious. Scincus fascia -- tus ; back with 5 yellow stripes, tail blue.
AMPHIBIA.
Rana pipiens ; bullfrog : R. halecina ; shadfrog, green with black spots : R. sylvatica ; woodfrog, reddish brown, 2 inches: R. palustris; brown, with rows of square dark brown spots, 3 inches : R. gryllus ; 1 inch long. Hyla versicolor ; treefrog, treetoad. Bufo Americanus ; toad. Salamandra erythronota; S. cinereain : woods, under logs and stones: S. longicauda : S. maculata? S. fasciata? S. venenosa ?
PISCES-FISHES.
Of the fifty species of this CLASS which are probably found in our waters, we are not prepared to give a complete list, as we have not yet compared the greater part of our specimens with authentic individuals from other states ; and we are there- fore in doubt as to the names they ought to bear. This remark applies particularly to the species first made known by Dr. Mitchill, and which were found in the waters of New York.
The several dams in the Susquehanna, have nearly cut off the supply of the shad, so important an article in domestic economy, until a recent period, that families within twenty miles of the fisheries, thought it impossible to pass through a season unsupplied with a barrel of salted shad.
Fishing is not conducted upon an extensive scale at present, . the seine being employed for the shad and herring alone. The
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former is sometimes caught by means of a large scoopnet, in such places where it is necessary for the fish to approach near the shore or a rock, to pass upwards.
Angling is in considerable repute, and the out-line is fre- quently employed. This consists of a stout cord about a hun- dred yards long, to which the hooks are attached at intervals, by lines (or links) a yard long ; the whole being stretched and anchored in a suitable place during the night. Live bait is em- ployed, and should be supplied from time to time to the hooks which have been stripped.
Various species are abundantly caught in the fall of the year in fish-baskets, made of lathwork, with diverging walls of stones, leading from the entrance up the stream for one hundred or two hundred yards. In the shallow waters, fishes are speared or gigged by torch light ; the smaller streams are fished with a bow-net, into the mouth of which the fishes are driven by beating the water; and set-nets of a cylindrical shape, kept open by hoops, with an expanded mouth, and pro- vided with funnels to prevent the return of the prisoners once entered. These are set in dams, at the mouths of creeks in deep water, when suckers are principally caught ; but when set in the Susquehanna, catfishes and sunfishes are usually taken.
The published materials on the history of our fishes are scat- tered through many different works, and are inaccessible except to the professed naturalist.
Perca lutca, Rafinesque ; (flavescens, Cuvier,) the yellow perch is common in the Susquehanna. Labrax lincatus, Lin ; rockfish : L. albus; Raf. (mucronatus, Cuv.) white perch .- Percina nebulosa; Hald: P. minima, (Etheostoma Olmstedi, Storer.) Pomotis appendix, Mitchill; black-eared sunfish :* P. auritus, Lin ; (moccasinus, Raf.) yellow-eared sunfish .- Lucioperca Americana ? Cuv .; salmon. Cottus viscosus, Hald .; (cognatus ? Rich.) resembles a small Pimelodus or catfish .- These nine species include all those which have spiny rays in the first dorsal fin, as far as we have been able to determine.
Cyprinus cornutus; Mitchill-hornchub, and several other species. Catostomus cyprinus, Lesueur; carp, not allicd to the European carp : C. maculosus, Les. ; stoneroller and some
#These English names are also applied to certain marine fishes.
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others. Leuciscus corporalis; fall fish and several other species of chub. Exoglossum maxilingua, Les. ; remarkable for the manner in which the tongue projects, to form part of the lower jaw. Esox reticulatus, Les .; pike. Belone trun- cata ? Les .; green gar. Pimelodus; one or two species of catfish .* Noturus; one species. Salmo fontinalis ? Mitchill ; trout. The fish properly called salmon belongs to this genus, and has never been caught so far south as Pennsylvania. Alosa sapidissima, Wilson ; shad. Clupea vernalis, Mitchill ; her- ring. Lepisosteus osseus, Lin .; gar *. Anguilla ; one or two species of eel. Accipenser; one species of sturgeon. Pe- tromyzon Americanus, Les,; lampereel. Bdellostoma nigri- cans, Les. ; found attached to the shad. Ammoccetes bicolor, Les. ; lives under sand and mud.
COLEOPTERA.
We commence with the Coleoptera, because we intend to. say but little on the remaining orders, otherwise it would have been proper to begin the series with the Hymenoptera, (inclu- ding bees, ants, wasps, &c.) which appear to stand at the head of the class. That the attention may be more particularly called to the insects themselves, we add a few notes on twenty species, such as may be readily recognised :
Cicindela. This genus stands at the head of our carniverous insects, and the species may be known by their bright colors, strong jaws, long legs, the activity with which they run upon the bare ground, and the ease with which they take wing.
Casnonia Pennsylvanica has the head and slender thorax black, and rather longer than the remainder of the body. The elytra (wing covers) are yellowish, each one with 3 blaek spots ; 3-10 of an inch long.
Galerita Americana; length § of an inch, head and thorax slender, the former black, the latter, with the legs yellowish brown, elytra blue-black.
Brachinus fumans, half an inch long, greatly resembling the preceding, but the head is of the same color as the elytra ;
*These English names are also applied to certain marine Gslies.
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when caught, it throws out a jet of vapor with a slight explosion.
Scarites subterraneus ; an inch in length, black, with a strong pair of jaws, head and thorax as long as the hinder part, and somewhat wider-lives under logs.
Calosoma scrutator ; length 1 1-4 inches, head black, thorax (pronotum) purple, margined with golden, elytra bright green, with a golden margin.
Calosoma calidum ; length of the preceding, but much narrower, black, elytra striate, with numerous golden punctures.
Agonum octopunctatum ; length 3-10 inches, active, green, with four impressed punctures arranged in a line upon the in- ner margin of each elytron.
Anorops obliquatus ; half an inch long, short oval, dull black, except a small orange spot at the inner base of the elytra, punctured longitudinally-found in decayed wood.
Diaperis maculata ; quarter of an inch long, oblong hemis- pherical, elytra light yellowish brown, with two black spots upon each, near the base, and a larger irregular spot towards the extremity, and upon the outer margin, head and thorax black.
Coprobius volvens ; (tumble-bug) is commonly seen in pairs rolling a ball of dung. A much larger insect, an inch long, black with the elytra coarsely furrowed, is named Copris Carolina, and is proportionally shorter than the Scarabaeus Jamaicensis, which is tinged with brown, the head of the male being armed with a long recurved horn ; a small species quar- ter of an inch long.
Onthophagus Janus ; has two straight, upright horns upon the head ; it is found in rotten fungi.
Pelidnota punctata; is an inch long, of a brownish yellow,. each elytron with three black spots, a similar spot on each side of the thorax ; found upon grape vines. Nearly allied, but without spots, is the Pelidnota lanigera, of a fine lemon yellow color.
Macrodactyla subspinosa ; is the abundant and destructive rosebug or cherrybug.
Crioceris trilineata ; a common garden insect, quarter of an inch long, yellow, with three black, conspicuous, longitudinal lines upon the elytra, and two black dots upon the pronotum ..
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The nearly allied Galeruca vittata (cucumber bug) is smaller with narrower bands, and Galeruca 12-punctata, intermediate in size, is marked with three transverse rows of black dots, four in cach row.
Coccinella borealis, yellow spotted with black, the largest species of our ladybugs.
The following is a list of the species captured principally within the last year, and of a number of them, but a single spe- cimen was taken.
Cicindela punctulata: C. vulgaris: C. hirticollis: C. sex- guttata: C. marginalis: C. purpurea: C. patruela. Casnonia Pennsylvanica. Galerita Americana. Brachinus fumans: B. alternans: B. curticollis: B. perplexus. Plochionus Bonfilsii. Cyminas pilosus: C. limbatus. Dromius piceus. Lebia atri- ventris: L. ornata: L. vittata: L. scapularis: L. viridis: L. pumila. Scarites subterrancus. Clivina quadrimaculata : C. morio: C. viridis. Spheroderus stenostomus. Carabus ser- ratus : C. ligatus. Calosoma scrutator: C. calidum: C. ex- ternus. Omophron labiatum. Elaphrus ruscarius. Notiophi- lus semistriatus: N. porrectus. Chlanius sericeus: C. œsti- vus: C. chlorophanus : C. emarginatus: C. nemoralis: C. to- mentosus. Dicælus violaccus: D. dilatatus : D. simplex. Pa- nagaus fasciatus. Patrobus longicornis. Calathus gregarius. Anchomenus extensicollis. Agonum octopunctatum: A. cu- pripenne : A. punctiforme: A. excavatum. Poecilus chalci- tes: P. lucublanda. Omaseus stygica : O. complanata : O. politus : O. morosa? Platysma adoxa. Amara basillaris : A. impuncticollis: A. musculis. Daptus incrassatus. Bractylus exaratus. Agonoderus pallipes. Selenophorus troglodytes. Pangus caliginosus. Anisodactylus carbonarius : A. agricolus : A. Baltimoriensis: A. rusticus. Harpalus faunus: H. bicolor: H. interstitialis : H. dichrous: H. herbivagus: H. terminatus. Stenolophus ochropegus. Acupalpus rupestris. Bembidium coxendix: B. patruelum. Dyticus verticalis. Laccophilus maculosus. Haliphus immaculicollis. Hydroporus lacustris. Cyclous Americanus. Hydrophilus natator. Poderus littora- rius. Pinophilus latipes. Emus villosus: E. maculosus : E. cinnamopterus: E. angulatus. Stalicus armatus? Buprestis. Cholcophora Virginica. Dircera divaricata. Agrilus ruficol- lis. Chrysabothris sexsignata, Brachys ovata. Alaus ocula-
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