ONEIDA CONGLOMERATE. 77 



dissolved or removed, and the stone fractured, fell out, leaving the cavities in question. The 

 same kind of cavities were noticed in the lower layers of the Potsdam sandstone in St. Law- 

 rence county, the origin being obviously due to the withdrawal of a substance from the sand 

 by the attraction of the mass in which the cavities exist. 



On the road from Utica to New-Hartford, a quarry of some extent was opened in the con- 

 glomerate on the land of Mr. Mason. It forms the point of the hill to the southeast of the 

 Mohawk river and Sauquoit creek. Its surface shows in some places the movement of a 

 hard body upon it, being smooth, and its pebbles ground, as if prepared by art to receive their 

 polish. Scratches were noticed upon the smooth surface, but not well defined, and their 

 direction was that of the Sauquoit valley. 



The rock at the quarry is a very variable mixture of sand and quartz pebbles, sohd and 

 somewhat friable, white, yellowish and even of a pink-color. The mass is nearly horizontal 

 to the eye, and is divided into layers which are not very regular or continuous. On the side 

 next to the Mohawk, the upper layers only are quarried. On the side facing the creek, it is 

 opened lower in the mass, and the divisions are thicker. The Frankfort slate, upon which it 

 rests, may be seen at several points on the hillside to the south of the quarry, beneath the 

 conglomerate. 



From the east end of Herkimer county to the town of Westmoreland, the lowest part of the 

 conglomerate shows a mass of pyrites and pebbles, of about ten inches in thickness. Pyrites 

 were not noticed at Mason's quarry, but occur in the same position in the conglomerate on 

 Mr. Smart's farm, to the west of the Sauquoit, on the road from New-Hartford to CUnton. 

 Further west, in a wood below the waters of the farm of James Wells, there is a considerable 

 exposition of the conglomerate, the hardest yet seen, in parts appearing to be crystalline. In 

 places, its parts have been disturbed from water passing under it, and removing portions of 

 its foundation. This mass appears to have been deposited from agitated waters, being full of 

 waved Unes as though from opposite currents. These arc shown by red and yellowish coloring 

 matter, as well as by its pebbles. This was the ledge from whence stone for the Chenango 

 canal was taken. From the yellow stains upon the stones at the locks and bridges when used, 

 the conglomerate must contain pyrites in minute particles, disseminated throughout portions of 

 its mass. 



A short distance from the canal, and a little north of Stebbins' creek, the conglomerate 

 appears in a low hill, and has been quarried. The surface of the rock shows a wearing from 

 water, and some obscure scratches. The layers appear to be unusually inclined — about 10°. 

 The rocks at Stebbins' creek, which succeed to the conglomerate, appear also to exhibit a 

 like angle of inclination at the point where the conglomerate is seen, but it may be apparent 

 only. 



The conglomerate is quarried on the farm of David Mansfield, about one mile and a quarter 

 south of Hampton village. Stems of fucoids traverse some of the layers. It is exposed for a 

 considerable extent to the north of Oneida springs, at about one hundred yards from the house, 

 extending east and west, its surface being very little below the level of the county, which 



