The principal fossils are, remains of the mastodon, the megatherium, the myloden, the elephant, the ox, and of a number of turtles and mollusks. Of living wild animals there are the black and brown bear, panther, wild cat, fox, raccoon, opossum, wood chuck,• deer, rabbit, squirrel, and, near the sea, alligators and turtles. The venomous reptiles arc the moccasin, rattle, and copper-head snakes; and the low lands are infested with annoying insects, such as sand flies, mosquitoes, and chigoes or jiggers. the birds are, the eagle, several species of the hawk, the turkey-buzzard, the seagull, and many smaller kinds, of fine plumage and song. Fish of good quality abound in the rivers, and turtle in the ocean and the sounds. The earliest supplies of shad for the northern markets come from the Savannah and Ogeechee rivers. In the higher lands the climate is cool and salubrious; but along the sea-coast it is intensely hot, and malarial diseases are prevalent.
On the alluvial section, near the seacoast, every variety of tree flourishes, as the live oak, cypress, cedar, palmetto, magnolia, sweet bay, wild orange; cane, and other semi tropical trees and plants. Further inland, scrub oaks and yellow pine are found. Still further n.w. are large forests, in which the hickory, tulip, chestnut, black walnut, sycamore, maple, poplar, beech, fir, ash, elm, bay, laurel, and spruce flourish. Tropical fruits, such as the orange, banana, lemon, and olive, are grown in the s.e. section; anal in the same region are produced abundant crops of sugar-cane, rice, cotton (long and short staple), and sweet potatoes.. Here also grow rich grasses for hay and pasturage. The central portion is favorable for the growth of peaches, apples, pears, cherries, melons, and grapes. Cotton is the main crop in this section, though corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, and clover are cultivated, and tobacco also, to some extent. Peanuts, sweet potatoes, and sorghum yield abundantly. In the mountainous region the soil is gener ally thin, but it is a good grazing country. The valleys are fertile and favorable for corn, wheat, clover, and northern fruits. The s.e. section of the state is in the great "cotton belt," and sugar-cane, rice, and sweet potatoes are largely raised there. More than one-half of the land surface of the state is still covered with forests. In 1879 there were in the state 2,413 m. of railway track, to 28 different lines. The Ala bama Great Southern, from Waultatchie, Tenn., to Meridian, Miss., 290 In., has 26 m. in Georgia; the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line, from Atlanta to Charlotte, N. C., 206 In., has 109 m. in Georgia; the Atlanta and West Point, from East Point to West Point, 81 m., is all in the state; the Atlantic and Gulf, from Savannah to Bainbridge, 237 m.,
comprises, in addition to the Florida Branch, from Dupont, Ga., to Live Oak, Fla., 49 m., and the Albany Branch, from Thomasville to East Albany, 584- m.; the Augusta and Savannah, from :Miller to Augusta, 53 m.; the Brunswick and Albany, from Bruns wick to Albany, 172 m.; the Georgia Central, from Savannah to Atlanta, 294 m., with a branch of 17 m. connecting Gordon with Milledgeville; the Cherokee, from Cartersville to Rockmart, 23 m.; The Eastern Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, from Bristol to Chattanooga, Tenn., has a branch from Cleveland, Tenn., to Dalton, 80 tn. ; the Eatontou 13rancli of the Georgia Central, from Milledgeville to Eatonton, 22 m.; the Elberton Air Line, from Tocoa City to Elberton, 50 m.; the Georgia, from Augusta to Atlanta, 171 in., with branches from Union Point to Athens, extending 39 en., and from Barnet to Washington, 17 m., in all 231 m. - the Georgia Southern, from Dalton to the state line, 66 m.; the Macon and Augusta, from Warrenton to Macon, 78 in.; the Macon and Brunswick, from Macon to Brunswick, 187 m. with a branch of 10 m. connecting Cochrane with Hawkinsville; the Marietta and North Georgia, from Marietta to Murphy, N. C., 110 m., is completed to Canton a distance of 23 In.; the North Eastern, from Athens to Lula, 40 m.; the North and South Georgia, from Columbus to Rome, 125 in., is open from Columbus to Hamilton, 23 m.; the Rome, from Rome to Kingston, 20 m.; the Savannah and Charleston, front Savannah to Charleston, 106 m., has m. in Georgia; the Savannah, Griffin and North Alabama, from Griffin to Carrolton. 63 in.; the South Western, from Macon to Eufala, 144 nr, with branches from Columbus to Fort Valley, 72 in., from Fort Valley to Perry, 131 in., from Smitliville to Albany, 23/ m., from Cuthbert to Arlington,.37 m.; the Upson County, from Barnesville to Thomaston, 16i In.; the Western and Atlantic, from Atlanta to Chattanboga, Teun., 138 m., of which 121 are in the state, and four or five roads less than 10 m. in length.
The principal towns in Georgia are Savannah, pop. '70, 28,2,35; Atlanta (the capital), and Macon. There were no others iu 1870 having 10,000 inhabitants. The number of organized counties in 1878 was 137. There are but few canals in the state. The tonnage in 1878 was, 76 sailing vessels, 10,184; 24 steamers, 10,124; total, 20,308 tons. The cash value per acre of all crops taken together in 1878,$8.18. Public debt Jan. 1, 1878. $10.644,000; raised by tax in 1877, $1,129,990; rate of tax, 50 cts. on $100; assessed real estate $140,153,230, personal $95,506,280. Area of the state, in acres, 37,120.000.