176 Onthe Geology and Mineralogy of Schoharie, N. Y. 
strata. On the east side of the river, at the base of the mountain, is 
another locality. The Iron Pyrites here, is an abundant mineral, 
but these distant localities corresponding in strata, and horizontal 
position, can leave no doubt of the existence of extensive beds. 
The strata on either side of the river of equal height may be call- 
ed equivalents, not only in appearance, but as to petrifactions. In 
fact, the similarity of the rocks induce a belief that they were once 
united and separated by some convulsion, or else, that the valley was 
formed by violent inundations. 
Loose fragments and bowlders from primitive regions are every 
where found on our mountains, particularly, Granite, Gneiss and 
Hornblende-rock, which contain Garnet, Pyroxene, Scapolite and 
Epidote. 
Bog iron ore in great quantities is found two miles south of the 
Court house ina marly clay. Septaria from the Schoharie river; 
four miles south of the Court house, from five to twenty six inches 
in diameter, of a dark blue color, finely checkered with seams of 
Calcareous Spar, and a dark brown oxide of iron. 
A locality of lenticular Calcareous Spar exists one mile N. E. of 
the Court house; and Fluor Spar in narrow seams traversing a stra- 
tum of clay in laminated Calc. Spar one fourth of a mile south of the 
Court house. Near the same place, fourteen feet below the surface, 
the water-lime was excavated and found to be similar in frac- 
ture, and not inferior in quality to the lithographic stone. of Papen- 
heim, Germany. 
Novaculite, in large bowlders, color greenish gray, fracture splint- 
ery, highly esteemed for hones, is common. 
In excavations for coal, recently made, five miles south of the Court 
house, the Encrinite, Orthocera and bivalve shells were found in a 
glazed slate and bituminous shale, invested with Iron Pyrites, which 
often composes the substance of the petrifaction. A locality of Ar- 
ragonite exists near Foxes Creek, three miles N. E. of the Court 
house, on a steep acclivity at the foot of a rock, three hundred feet 
above the valley ,—affording fine specimens of the parallel diverging 
and radiated varieties. 
Calcareous Tufa is found in great abundance on the sides of our 
mountains from five to fifteen feet in depth, containing fine impres- 
sions of leaves, and covering grasses and mosses with incrustations $0 
delicate as to preserve distinctly every fibre. Old deposits are fre- 
quently covered with vegetable loam on which shrubs and trees are 
growing. 
