30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1880. 



It will be at once noticed that in addition to the lowest fossil- 

 iferous stratum, extending to about seven feet above water level, 

 a second highly fossiliferous one manifests itself at a height of 

 about twenty-seven feet, in which were recognized among other 

 shells Artemis acetabulum and Pecten Madisonius. The mineral 

 character of this upper deposit is described by Conrad as being a 

 " quartzose sand, very incoherent," which is exactly what we meet 

 with in the arenaceous deposits on the west bank of the Patuxent 

 River, near Benedict, and which we have identified as equivalents 

 of the St. Mary's deposits. They are described by Conrad as 

 being composed of an " arenaceous, fossiliferous stratum," the 

 sand of which is "quartzose and incoherent" (B. N. I., p. 185). 



We have thus exposed in one section two highly fossiliferous 

 strata, the upper of which shows a very decided analogy to what 

 we have designated as the newer group, and the lower of which 

 assumes a distinct personality for reason of its position, and the 

 paleontologieal characters impressed upon it. Proceeding from 

 this point southeastward, and therefore in the general direction 

 of the dip of the beds, we should naturally- expect to meet a point 

 where our upper stratum, or its equivalent, would descend nearer 

 to the level of the Bay, and in fact we do find just such a point 

 near Cove Point, where " the group most characteristic of these 

 tertiary deposits, imbedded in sand," descends to a height only 

 about fifteen feet above water mark (B. N. I., p. 183). The 

 fossils found here are also nearly all found at St. Mary's, and they 

 are, moreover, " highly ferruginous, as much so as many of the 

 crag fossils of Great Britain, which they greatly resemble, also, 

 in other respects " (Conrad, loc. eit.). On the St. Mary's River, 

 the southeasternmost extension of the formation, the same deposit 

 sinks almost to water level, as might well be expected on follow- 

 ing the general direction of the dip. Here, the Pliocene deposits, 

 well characterized by their fossils, make their appearance. 



On proceeding from our first point almost due northwards, and 

 therefore at a considerable angle to the line of strike, we meet 

 with just the reverse phenomena met with on our southern 

 journey. At Fair Haven, where Conrad obtained the following 

 section, 



