346 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



moved by slides, and by the agency of frosts and gravity very 

 much of the rock has been exposed to view. A very large curve 

 in the strata is thus developed. The strike and dip vary very 

 much at the different portions of this anticlinal curve, but it is 

 needless to state all the particulars. The curve is much larger 

 than the one represented in Fig. 48 ; and the variation of the 

 strike to a more nearly east and west course seems to have been 

 produced by the crowding of the strata by the plicating agency. 

 The rocks here are abundantly traversed by quartz veins, both 

 large and small, and minerals similar to those found in the quartz 

 boulders at Lane brook abound. These veins may be auriferous. 

 Similar rocks are found above these mountains on the river, and 

 indeed so far as its source in Abacotnetic lake. 



North of these mountains, in Nos. 4 and 5, R. 18, the valley 

 spreads out much wider, and often there occur large tracts of low 

 alluvial land, or meadows, which when cultivated will make excel- 

 lent grass lands, being overflowed annually by freshets. In No. 5, 

 ledges of mica schist appear, showing both cleavage and stratified 

 planes, the former dipping 67° S. E., and the latter dipping 40° S. 

 Here also are more glacial markings. As we walked much of the 

 way in the tote road we did not examine all the ledges cropping 

 out on the shores, but have no reason to suppose them to be differ- 

 ent from the common schists. 



Names of Rivers and Mountains. 



The north branch in Nos. 4 and 5 divides into the middle 

 branch, (sometimes called Dole brook,) the north-west and north- 

 east branches. When near Abacotnetic lake, if we should try to 

 inform the public of our exact location it would require many 

 words, for we were travelling up the north-east branch of the 

 north branch of the west branch of the Penobscot river. Evidently 

 a change in the nomenclature of the diiforent branches of this 

 river would be desirable. Although objection has been made to 

 the almost unpronounceable Indian names of the rivers and lakes 

 of northern Maine, we cannot see how the branch method of giving 

 names is an improvement. Certainly it is not in this case. 



As this subject of names has been broached, we desire to say a 

 few words respecting the inappropriatcncss of many names used to 

 express geographical relations in Maine. Names may be inappro- 

 priate either from repetition or uncoutlmess. No one would wish 



