OF LABRADOR AND MAINE. 247 



The locality of fossils situated farthest inland is at the " Kailroad Cut," two miles and a 

 half westward from the depot, eighty feet above the level of the sea, and about three 

 miles distant from it. Upon the western slope of the gneiss hill through which the 

 road has been blasted, lies the fossiliferous blue clay. At this point Nucula aniiqua, Leda 

 truncata (portlandica), Mylilus edulis, Cryptodon Goiddii, My a arenaria, Saxicava arctica, and 

 Pandorina arenosa occurred. 



By digging for the construction of wells, anywhere through the sandy strata of the town, 

 the blue clay is found at the depth of ten to thirty feet. Besides the shells of Mya arenaria 

 and Mylilus cdidis in all stages of growth, we find in their usual relative abundance, Nucula 

 antiqua, Leda truncata (portlandica), and occasionally Pandorina arenosa. 



These beds correspond perfectly with the higher beds of the Leda clay on the Kennebec 

 and Penobscot rivers, and at Portland. 



The lower horizon of fossiliferous clays is developed in several localities on the shores of 

 Casco Bay, one of the most interesting of which is found at high-tide mark on the western 

 shore of Mere Point. The shores of the Bay, in the more retired arms and reaches, are 

 largely composed of cliffs of the boulder clay, which though always stratified, consisting of 

 a tough blue clay at the bottom of the beds, graduates at the top into a lighter, more loamy 

 clay, and abounds in sea-worn erratics. Where this boulder clay has been denuded on its 

 surface, the land is invariably found thickly strewn with boulders, more so than in the more 

 recent brick-clays farther inland. Besides the remains of sea-weeds were stems of a sedge- 

 like plant and smaller portions of land plants too indistinct for identification. In the upper 

 part of the beds, near the surface, concretions of clay formed about the steins of vegetables, 

 occurred in great abundance. 



Lepralia nilida (Fabr.) Rare. The living form has not yet been detected on our 

 coast south of Greenland. 



Lepralia annulata (Fabr.) 



Hypothyris psittacea King. One valve occurred. 



Nucula antiqua Mighl. (N. ezpansa Reeve.) Abundant. 



Leda buccaia Steenstr. (N Jacksoni Gould.) Numerous. 



Leda truncata Brown. (N portlandica Hitchc.) Numerous. 



Peclen islandicus Linn. Very abundant and large. 



Serripes gronlandicus Beck. Common. 



Macoma sahdosa Stimps. Frequent. 



Astatic comprcssa Linn. (A. elliptica Brown.) Very abundant. 



Asiarte Banksii Leach. Rare. 



Astarte striata Leach. Rare ; fine large valves. [Plate vii., fig. 1.] 



Mya truncata Linn. The short form frequently occurred. 



Saxicava arctica Desh. Numerous. 



Fusus (Ncptunca) tornatus Gould. Abundant and very large, some specimens nearly four 

 inches in length. 



'Buccimun nndulatum Moller. Large. Specimens occurred of both the short common 

 form, and the long variety which we have only seen growing in Labrador. 



Balanus porcatus Da Costa. (B. crenatus Brug.) Abundant. 



The drift beds at Portland resting upon Bramhall Hill, a rounded gneiss hill „ , 



Portland 



175.5 feet above the mean sea level, dip at rather an unusual angle, 15°-25°, 



MEMOIBS BOST. SOC. NAT. HIST. Vol.. I. Pt. 2. 63 



