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The primitive series is flanked on the south by coarse-grained sandstones in 

 the county of Santa Barbara, a large proportion of which is fossilliferous, the 

 species not corresponding with those found in the adjoining mountain chains, ex 

 cept perhaps to a very limited degree. A high ridge of this chain lies to the 

 north and east of the town of Santa Barbara, and sends a heavy spur down to 

 the water-line of the coast a few miles from the town ; this spur approaches so 

 closely to the beach that the traveler is compelled to take its sands for his road 

 a distance of twelve or fifteen miles, at the end of which he rounds the base of 

 the spur, after which he finds a more agreeable road until he arrives in Los An 

 geles. West of Santa Barbara the ridge is more distant from the coast line, 

 but carries the same lithological characteristics to the pass of the Gaviota, and 

 thence on to the Punta Sal, a short distance beyond which the base of the ridge 

 again approaches the water-line, and forms a rugged, bold shore. The Pass del 

 Gaviota is a deep, rocky canon composed for the most part of large boulders of 

 coarse sandstone, portions of which contain imbedded fossils of marine origin, 

 (the pass furnishes a rough avenue to enter the Santa Inez valley from the coast 

 and is sometimes used to avoid the ascent and descent of the La questa San 

 Inez in traveling to or from San Luis Obispo.) These rocks continue to the 

 hills, forming the south-west border of the valley, and are found also upon its 

 northern and eastern limits. On the right of the road leading to San Luis Ob 

 ispo and about four miles from the valley of Santa Inez a large bed of Ostrea are 

 found, and immediately to the west among the lower hills, beds of sandstone con 

 taining but very few fossils. On ascending the high hill at this place we find 

 the equivalent of the fossil Ostrea perched high upon the summit of this ridge ; 

 the difference between the respective levels of the two beds being near nine hun 

 dred feet, and the distance but little short of one mile and a half. 



This is but one of many instances that might be mentioned, of similar occur 

 rences among the fossiliferous groups of this State, in which we find parts ap 

 parently of the same bed occupying widely different levels and both in situ, and 

 it will be necessary for us to account for these apparent discrepancies on some 

 other hypothesis, more consistent with the existing facts, than that of mere up 

 lifting from volcanic action alone, although this agency has undoubtedly per 

 formed an important part, in many instances, in elevating parts of these beds in 

 certain localities. It is very evident that the differences in elevation among the 

 tertiaries of the same period, and as we have just seen, parts of the same bed, 

 must be referred to other causes than the one generally assigned in this country, 

 and when we come to consider the species found in different beds, their present 

 habitat will afford us a basis on which to found a theory, at least, that will in 

 some measure account -for the discrepancies observed. 



The geology of the San Bernardino chain, so far as it has been examined, af 

 fords us some instructive examples relative to the disposition and distribution of 

 the fossils found upon its flanks. On both sides of this chain we find the mioceLe 

 deposits, evidently of the same period, occupying different levels, and the same 

 beds presenting different lines of dip ; in one case a great degree of horizontal- 

 ity prevailing while in another the beds will be highly inclined. 



The fossiliferous beds rest mostly upon the primitive rocks. When an exception 

 to this rule occurs it is found to be entirely local, and extending over inconsider 

 able areas, this may be considered true of the western portion of these moun 

 tains, but how far to the east it may extend I am unable at present to determine. 

 The more horizontal beds of these rocks were usually found nearest to the sum 

 mit of the ridges, those upon the flanks and near the base possessing the highest 

 degree of inclination, and the latter occurring on the southern base to a much 

 greater extent than upon the north. This is easily accounted for in examining 

 the country near the coast-line in this vicinity. At the distance of about forty 



