HAWORTH: THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE KANSAS COAL MEASURES. 275 



quite rich in this product. Another interesting feature of these shales 

 is that apparently their upper surface marks the termination of cer- 

 tain portions of the Coal Measure fauna and the beginning of others, 

 as well as slight irregularities in stratification, which have been used 

 in the division of the Coal Measures. According to Mr. Bennett this 

 is the greatest change in the fauna to be found anywhere in the whole 

 Coal Measures of the state. The University Survey has therefore 

 suggested that the Coal Measures be divided into the lower and 

 upper divisions, the upper surface of the Pleasanton shales serving 

 for such a demarkation. 



At the close of the formation of the Pleasanton shales a limestone 

 forming period was ushered in. Limestone almost to the extent of 

 100 feet in thickness was formed in some parts of the state, not in 

 one continuous mass, but separated by thin and relatively unim- 

 portant shale beds. This process was carried to the highest degree 

 of perfection in the country to the west of Fort Scott. Here we have 

 three distinct limestone systems one above the other which are so 

 close together that they properly should be regarded as one great 

 system, and hence the name Triple system applied to them. To the 

 south, however, they soon separate considerably so that the inter- 

 vening shale beds assume considerable thickness. The individual 

 limestone systems also decrease somewhat in thickness and therefore 

 have played a less important role in producing the topography of the 

 country. The lowermost one seems to pass a little above Osage 

 Mission, from there to the left of Parsons a mile or two, and by the 

 way of Altamont to beyond the south line of the state, leaving the 

 great bed of Pleasanton shales between Altamont and (Jsvvego. 

 Throughout this distance the outcroppings of the limestone are not 

 very strongly marked by surface features. The middle of the three 

 limestones likewise passes to the southwest with its eastern margin 

 gradually growing farther from the .\ltamout limestone, so that it 

 passes near Mound Valley southward to beyond the state line. In 

 this case, however, there is a bold escarpment which marks its eastern 

 limit from the state line nortliward, fifteen or twenty miles beyond 

 which it gradually merges into a similar escarpment produced by the 

 Triple limestone, systems combined. At Mound XaUey the vertical 

 distance between the middle and the lower of the three limestones is 

 approximately 125 feet. The uppermost of the three limestones fol- 

 lows a course similar to that of the other two excepting that its eastern 

 boundaries bear to the west more decidedly still and pass near Erie, 

 Cialesburgh, Cherryvale and Liberty. Throughout portions of this 

 distance a strongly marked topography results from the combination 

 of conditions produced by this limestone and the underlying shale 



