124 



IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



Vol. XXV,191S 



Beyer* and the following account is based partly on his report 

 and partly on my own observations. As is the case with most 

 counties of the state, it is approximately twenty-four miles 

 square. For a description of its general topography I can do 

 no better than quote Beyer's account, as follows: 



* * * In order better to understand the more general configu- 

 ration, conceive a more or less regular surface very slightly in- 

 clined to the southeast. Let there be a slight depression in the 

 position of the Iowa river, tlanked on either side with parallel 



Fig. 11. Iowa river at Clay BUiffs. The open pasture in figure 13 is 

 shown on the right. 



ridges, the crest on one side bisecting Vienna town.ship diagon- 

 ally, while a line passing through State Center, Van Cleve, and 

 Laurel marks approximately the position of the other. Spread 

 over the surface a material which responds readily to water 

 action, but holds with e(|ual fidelity the vigorous carving- of the 

 spring freshet and the most delicate tracery of the summer 

 shower; given these conditions, time and the ero.sive aeents are 

 the only requisites to account for the general physiography of 

 the region. 



*The Geologv of Marshall County, by Samuel Walker Beyer. Annual Re- 

 port for 1806 of Iowa Geological Suryey, Vol. VII, pp. 199-262, with 2 maps, 

 figs. 25-37, Pis. V-VI. 



