94 IN AND OUT OF ITHACA. 



by the materials which the stream has brought down 

 from the rocky hills. 



About halfway between Crowbar Point and Taug- 

 hannock, Tower Rock stands out boldly from the shore. 

 In structure this resembles somewhat the well-known 

 Steeple Rock of Buttermilk ravine. At Taughannock 

 the Tully limestone first crops out. As the dip of this 

 stratum is toward the south, it gradually rises higher 

 and higher above the lake as we proceed northward, 

 and every little stream that comes into the lake takes 

 its final plunge over this limestone ledge, whose hard- 

 ness resists all erosive effects. Frequently the softer 

 strata under the limestone have crumbled away under 

 the action of the water, forming fantastic recesses. Some 

 fifteen miles down the lake are Kidder's Ferry, and, a 

 little beyond, Sheldrake, both popular summer resorts. 

 Aurora, on the opposite side, is a charming village, the 

 seat of Wells College and of the Cayuga Lake Military 

 Academy. Some miles beyond Aurora is Union Springs, 

 noted especially for its plaster. The geological structure 

 around this village presents many points of interest to 

 the student. The lower end of the lake at the outlet 

 is a great marsh. In addition to the passenger traffic 

 on the lake, which is very considerable during the sea- 

 son, there is a large freight traffic especially in coal, 

 carried on by means of canal boats. The Lehigh Val- 

 ley R. R. brings the coal from the Pennsylvania coal 

 fields to Ithaca, where it is loaded in canal boats ready 

 to be taken to any place that is reached by the great 

 canal system of the state. 



