■J 54 COAL. 



and collected by the agency of water. I have 

 seen on the bank of the Owasco and Otlsco lakes, 

 black shale, which is found rounded aad abraded 

 by the waves. 



At Little Fall Creek, a mile south of the village- 

 of Geneseo, there is a vertical section of 115 feet 

 through rocks. The super stratum is slate, repo- 

 sing Oil liraestone, which is again supported by 

 schist. Here are evident symptoms of coal, and 

 liere it may be certaijily obtained. 



The black mould on the Genesee river is deri- 

 ved in all probability froni. the trituration, or de- 

 composition of slate, im.pregnated by bitumen, al- 

 though some give it a vegetable origin. 



At Allen's Creek, in Le Roy, there is a vertical 

 section. The upper stratum is clay slate, which 

 the water has worn away to the lime stone, and 

 which reposes on bituminous slate that smells ex- 

 actly like Seneca Oil. The same slate is found 

 at Batavia in detached pieces, brought by the 

 Tonawanta Creek from a distance. The country 

 west of the Genesee river is composed of three 

 terraces, like the Steppes of Tartary, which in- 

 cline gently to the north. At the feet of these ter- 

 races, search ought to be made.. 



I think, my dear sir, that [ have indicated a 

 sufliclent number of places, where 



■■' Strble c&al lis massv conch extends.' 



