1868.] 47S [Iliiydcn. 



No. 2 with Ostrea congesta and a, few remains of fishes; also the 

 chalky marls of No. 3 ; and about two miles above, the long 

 high ridges, on either side, extending up for several miles, com- 

 posed of the rusty j'ellow sands and sandstone of No. 5. The 

 dip of these beds is very gentle, hardly perceptible to the e3-e. 



The l)ig Laramie is a very clear stream, about fifty yards in 

 width and averaging about two feet in depth, easily forded in 

 most places. Like most of the western streams, the difference 

 between high and low water mark is very great. In Spring and 

 early Summer, when the snows of the mountains melt, these 

 streams become formidable rivers. The soil along the bottoms 

 appears to be very good, the grass grows quite heavily and hun- 

 dreds of tons of hay are cut here by the settlers for AVinter use. 

 The grazing is excellent, and numerous ranches have been started 

 all through the valley for the purpose of raising stock. Even 

 at this season of the year a great variety of flowers covers the 

 surface. The Compositae and Leguminofiae prevail in numbers, 

 and yellow is the dominant color. As we approached the foot 

 hills of the mountains the transition beds or No. 1 (?) appeared 

 on the ridge, rocks of more recent date having been swept away 

 by erosion. Fragments of pudding stone and rusty colored 

 masses of sandstone were scattered here and there ; then be- 

 neath them were exposed about 400 feet of variegated arena- 

 ceous layers of uncertain age, perhaps Jurassic ; then a little 

 higher up the side of the mountains were revealed the red 

 beds 1500 feet or more in thickness, presenting wonderfuUj^ 

 picturesque scenery. All these beds seemed to have been lifted 

 up in a nearly horizontal position, so that they present lofty 

 escarpments, sometimes cone-like or pj-ramidal in shape, reveal- 

 ing each layer in the order of sviccession. The harder la3'ers 

 yielding less readily to atmospheric influence, project out from 

 the sides adding much to the novelty of the view. Most of the 

 beds incline from the flanks of the mountains at various angles, 

 3°, 8"^, 15°, and then continue along the river winding for 

 twenty-five miles among the mountains almost to the foot of the 

 snow covered peaks. 



On either side can be seen a number of sienitic nuclei, but I 

 could not find the unchanged rocks so clearly in contact with 

 them that I could define their relation to each other. 



Before reaching the mountains we passed a series of alkaline 

 lakes which are simply shallow depressions, receiving the drain- 

 age of a small area without any outlet. From these shallow 

 VOL. X. — 3 m 



