86 Geology and Topography of Western New York. 
Arr. V.—Remarks on the Geology seri Toposraphy ~ Western 
New York; by Groree E. erg of Buffalo 
Iw a former papesilllasetted? in this Journal,* I etidpavoreld to 
show, that the rock formations in the western part of this state 
belong to the transition series.+ I now propose to offer some gb- 
servations on the causes which produced the disintegration and 
removal of extensive strata of these rocks from their ancient beds 
of deposit, and gave rise to the existing topographical phenomena. 
The “ saliferous rock” of Prof. Eaton, which I there designated 
as the old red sandstone, forms the southern shore of Lake On- 
tario. It has an average breadth of about six miles, nearly a level 
surface, and is little elevated above the lake. Its southern boun- 
> eee J — ert limestone terrace, under pees it 
ee 
Oeittying this old red weck.ins, isa group of calcareous rocks—_ 
the “ geodiferous” and “cornitiferous” of Prof. Katon—with their 
accompanying shales ; which are evidently equivalent to the moun- 
tain limestone of Birpes This formation terminates on the 
north, in a line nearly parallel to the lake shore, by an abrupt pre- 
cipice, which forms what is here called the “mountain, ridge.” 
The limestone district forms a kind of terrace, bounded. on the 
north by this precipitous escarpment, and on the south. by the 
mountainous region which occupies the south tier of counties. 
Superimposed on the mountain limestone, we have a series of 
shales and slaty sandstones of great aggregate thickness, dipping, 
as do the formations already noticed, in a southerly direction, but 
"Jess able to resist the powerful, degrading action to which all have 
* Vol. xxx1. p. 241. 
+ As early as 1824, Dr. Bigsby suggested that the horizontal limestone of 
Western New York, as well as that of the Canadas, was “the representative of 
the mountain or Carboniferous limestone of England.”’ See American Journal,, 
Vol. vin. p. 76 and onward. 
Again, in 1829, ie Vanuxem stated his conviction that they were transition 
a Ibid. Vol. xv 
: cape Dapamell's Geolog, scpond American edition, p. 369, the same opinion nig. 
epeated : notwithstanding which, from the confisien produced by the introdue- 
¥ names, ‘and an apparent disposition to adhere to the classification of 
= say call been sid regarded as  belongin, 
~ 
ake Leaes 
