378 Pi'of' James Hall on the 



dually assuming a coarser character, attended by a diminution of 

 the number of fossils, both of individuals and of species. With the 

 accession of coarse materials comes diagonal lamination, and 

 abrupt changes in the nature of the sediment, with other attend- 

 ant features indicating a deposit of littoral character. 



Until within a few years the State collection had been nearly 

 destitute of fossils from the rocks of Delaware county, which ac- 

 cording to the map is occupied by the Cattskill group. Some time 

 since Prof. Orton, late of the Normal School in Albany, sent to 

 the State Cabinet numerous specimens from the so-called Catts- 

 kill group of that region, and they were thus arranged ; but I 

 readily recognised nearly all of these as characteristic Chemung 

 fossils. Although obtained within the area colored as Cattskill 

 group, it was still possible to suppose that they might have been 

 derived from transported masses, and no investigation having been 

 made to decide this question, the matter rested. 



More recently, Mr. J. M. Way, of Franklin, Delaware County, 

 has directed his attention to the fossils of his neighbourhood, par- 

 ticularly to the fish remains, which he has found in considerable 

 abundance. From loose and scattered masses he has been able to 

 trace the specimens to their position in the hill slopes, and has 

 ascertained the existence of no less than three distinct beds con- 

 taining these ichthyic remains. Associated with the latter, he has 

 found numerous shells which are typical species of the Chemung 

 group ; and these he has traced to near the tops of the highest 

 hills in Franklin, and occupying large areas of what have been 

 regarded as the unequivocal Cattskill group. Mr. Way has sent 

 collections of these fossil remains to several geologists in the coun- 

 try, with a view of obtaining information to aid him in his re- 

 searches. 



Having since personally examined the region in question, I do 

 not hesitate to say that we have in the fossil remains taken to- 

 gether the most unequivocal evidence of the occurrence of the 

 Chemung group in these localities. A section from the north side 

 of the Susquehanna river to the high hills in the south part of 

 Franklin gives the following beds, the characters of which I have 

 not yet studied in detail, and the thickness given may be regarded 

 as approximate : — 



1. — Greenish-gray sandstones and shaly sandstones ; 100-150 

 feet to top of hills. 



