222 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [May 22 
PRELIMINARY CONTRIBUTION TO OUR KNOWLEDGE 
OF THE CRETACEOUS FORMATION ON LONG 
ISLAND AND EASTWARD. 
[Plates V—VII. ] 
BY ARTHUR HOLLICK. 
The assumption that cretaceous strata were to be found 
beneath a part of Staten Island and practically the whole 
of Long Island, except the small archzean area at its western 
end, has been recognized as probable by nearly every geologist 
who has studied the region. The trend of the cretaceous strata 
in New Jersey and their stratigraphic relations to the crystal- 
line and other rocks along their border, justified the assumption 
that the same conditions prevailed northeastward, although 
there much modified by the forces which acted upon them 
during the quaternary age. The lithological characters were 
also such that the similarity of the clays and sands of New 
Jersey, Staten Island and Long Island, was early recognized. 
So that stratigraphically and lithologically the assumption 
seemed justified. Palezontologically, however, until within the 
past ten years or so, the indications were very meagre and un- 
satisfactory, and it has only been within that time that we can 
be said to have collected sufficient evidence to justify the posi- 
tive declaration that the early assumption was correct. In 
regard to Staten Island the facts have already been published*., 
The facts relating to Long Island have been briefly men- 
tioned on several occasions, notably at meetings of the 
Academy, and memoranda have appeared in print, but 
nowhere has any connected account been published. The 
object of this contribution is to present all the facts thus far 
known to the writer. New material is constantly coming to 
light, but it has been decided to describe in advance some that 
is now available, in order to demonstrate the existence of 
cretaceous strata on Long Island beyond any further doubt, and 
thus to correct an erroneous impression which seems to be 
* “Paleontology of the Cretaceous Formation on Staten Island.” (Trans. 
N. Y. Acad. Sei. XI. 96-103) and ‘Additions to the Palwobotany of the Creta- 
ceous Formation on Staten Island.” (Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sci. XII. 1-12,) 1892. 
