ONONDAGA SALT GROUP. 97 



then a green sandstone with green shale, varying in thickness from one and a half to three 

 inches ; again red shale two feet thick, followed by a band of green shale, and lastly red 

 shale, which terminates this series. 



The red shale on the west side of Oriskany creek, does not make its appearance until within 

 two or three miles of the College, where it is well exposed, being the mass upon which the 

 institution rests. In the ravine back of Dr. Noyes', a confirmation of its position, as regards 

 the concretionary mass, may be obtained. The latter exists there, upon which the same 

 green shale as at Hart's mill is placed, and then the red shale. From the College hill, the 

 red shale is scarcely lost to view in its progress west, spreading out in descending from the 

 hill-side, extending on both sides of the upper village of Vernon, and passing into Madison 

 by Oneida Castle. In Madison, the Erie canal passes through the centre of the red shale ; 

 but in Onondaga and Cayuga, with some few exceptions, the red shale is on the north side 

 of the canal, the other divisions of the group being on the south side. In all its range of sur- 

 face and thickness, it shows but little variation, and in no part has a fossil yet been observed. 



In several localities, the red shale shows numerous green spots, varying from an inch or 

 less to several in diameter, which strongly contrast with the red ground in which they are 

 placed. They were noticed near Hamilton college ; near the salt spring, not far from Upper 

 Vernon village ; on the turnpike to the west of Oneida Castle ; at the hill south of Lenox ; 

 on Canaseraga creek, near Storm's mill ; at Salina, by the side of the canal on the road to 

 Liverpool ; and at the canal at Baldwinsville. At this latter place, many show a small round 

 nucleus, whitish and earthy, as if decomposition had there existed. It is not easy to resist 

 the impression that the green color is the result of a change in the red particles, the peroxide 

 of iron being reduced to a protoxide, which analysis could readily determine. In order that 

 this change should take place, an action or movement of the particles, like that which is ne- 

 cessary to form accretions, must first exist, with animal or vegetable matter to remove the 

 excess of oxygen. Be the cause what it may, they are curious, and show the commencement 

 of an action in a mass independent of an external cause, producing an important chemical 

 result, as well as a marvellous one to the eye. It is by actions of this kind that the variations 

 of color have been produced, which are noticed in boring into the red shale deposit. 



The red shale, though of great extent, traversing the counties of Herkimer, Oneida, Madi- 

 son, Onondaga and Cayuga, smd presenting a thickness of from one to nearly five hundred 

 feet, yet no where has a fossil been discovered in it, or a pebble, or any thing extraneous, 

 excepting a few thin layers of sandstone, and its difierent colored shales and slate. 



Second Deposit. This consists of shales, and calcareous slate of a light green and drab color, 

 intermixing and alternating with the red shale at its lower part. On the road from Clockville 

 to Lenox, descending the hill to the turnpike, is one of the best localities for observing the 

 alternation of the different colored masses. Thus we have at the top of the series, green ; 

 then red under it ; green ; red ; bluish ; green and yellow, this latter by exposure to the air ; 

 then red and green layers, with a little white and greenish sandstone, being several repetitions 

 of the two first ; and finally red shale as the lowest visible mass. 

 Geol. 3d Dist. 13 



