RELATION OF FOSSILS TO THE STRATA. 77 



lates in hollows. This sandstoae corresponds to the third bed, mentioned above as north of 

 Semee; it included a bed of bluish limestone, a compact, and heavy rock. The whole mass of 

 sandstone rises about 600 feet above the plain, has an easterly trend extending to San Fernando 

 plain. 



Both this brown sandstone and the included limestones were fossiliferous, the latter abounded 

 in vegetable remains and estuary shells. The sandstone fossils were few and very difficult of 

 preservation. The following species were collected from these strata, the descriptions of which 

 are found in the Palasontological Report appended : Lutraria transmoniana, Axinea Barbarensis, 

 Natica Inezana, Ostrea suhjecta, Cyclas permacra, Tapes montana, Perna montana, Tapes 

 Inezensis. 



Except tapes montana, lutraria, and perna, the other fossils were found in the hills bound- 

 ing the plain of Santa Barbara, and lying at the base of the Santa Inez range. 



As the reddish sand rock which forms the base of the Monica hills is also found in the Susanna 

 range, there can be but little doubt that these mountains are but repetitions of each other, and 

 both but the continuations of the strata immediately superimposed upon the Santa Inez range of 

 sandstones lying further west. The existence of mytilus Inezensis in this shows the continuity 

 of the bed, although otherwise not containing many fossils. 



Tapes, lutraria, natica, and perna were found in the layer of limestone described as existing 

 in the yellow sandstone, (bed 3.) Ostrea suhjecta was not found in place by the writer, but was 

 brought in and described as found in a very loose clay rock ; its position must have been 

 superior to any of the other fossils of this section. This limestone was probably of estuary or 

 lacustrine origin, judging from the minute paludinal shell present in it, and from a nodule of it 

 containing some fibres of endogenous wood. The whole nucleus was silicified and of a brownish 

 hue. 



Lying above the foregoing series of rocks, but not observed occurring everywhere throughout 

 this range of hills, are the beds of sandstone grit and fine argillite rock which we have described 

 in connection with the bituminous rock almost wherever examined. It is in this range seen at 

 the eastern edge, in the valley of Los Angeles, north of the town, where the asphalt springs 

 exist. It also constitutes the uppermost strata of the hills at the coast near San Pedro. At 

 these two points in this twenty miles apart the dip varies. At San Pedro it is a gentle dip 

 northward. At Los Angeles it is almost vertical. In the latter place the strata are hard, ring 

 to the hammer, and are rendered metamorphic by the volcanic protrusions. At San Pedro they 

 are soft clay and sandstones. These upper beds of the sierra are the same as described under 

 the term of asphaltic and foraminiferous beds when treating of the valley of San Luis. In these 

 hills (Sierra Monica) they appear unaccompanied by the trappean conglomerate reported in that 

 valley as being the inferior stratum ; at least this conglomerate was not recognized from Point 

 Concepcion eastward. Here, also, the upper strata are less thick, not more than 175 feet. 

 North of Los Angeles they occur in this order : 



Yellow clay rock, shaly 30 feet. 



Whitish soft argillite 25 feet. 



Yellow sandstone, with quartz layers, bituminous 120 feet. 



Total thickness of upper beds 175 feet. 



As the lithological and fossil characters of these beds have been already described, it is un- 

 necessary to repeat them here. 



