100 GEOLOGY OF THE TmRD DISTRICT. 



The same deposits appear in the hill-side at Grill's, where search was made for silver ore. 

 The lower parts, which rest immediately upon the top of the sandstone of the Clinton group, 

 are yellowish earthy layers, altered, and with the same kind of cavities as in the lower mass 

 near Cherry- Valley. Higher up, at another excavation, there are thin calcareous layers or 

 plates, upon the surface of which are small angular forms, which appear to have been caused 

 by crystallization. The road, which lies a few rods to the west of the mine, affords an oppor- 

 tunity of seeing the different parts of the deposit as it exists to the east, and in considerable 

 detail. The brook which passes by Wicks' store west of Crill's, is also a favorable point for 

 observing some portions, such as the lower part with cavities usually partially and irregularly 

 filled with semi-crystalline carbonate of lime, having a surface of a dark color. This may be 

 seen within a foot of the whitish sandstone, or grey band, which forms the upper part of the 

 Chnton group. Higher up, the hard straight-edged layers are seen, the blue color not having 

 disappeared entirely ; it is somewhat of a drab dove-color ; above this is a greenish shale. 



The deposit is readily traced from point to point west. Near Cedarville is the drab earthy 

 limestone with needle-form cavities, in part filled with crystalline limestone, and which resem- 

 bles the upper deposit of the group. At the north end of Paris hill, on the farm of Levi 

 Comstock, the part which corresponds with the upper deposit at Cherry- Valley appears in the 

 quarry upon the side-hill. There I found a well defined hopper cavity, the only one seen east 

 of Madison county, and showing identity of position with the third deposit. In the same rock 

 at the second furnace below Waterville, is the Eurypterus remipes, the only position of it in 

 the district. The creek passes through low hills, the tops of which are about thirty feet above 

 the water, and consist of the rock in question, which is best seen on the west side, where 

 a small excavation has been made. It is in thin layers, with here and there a fragment of the 

 Eurypterus, some fucoids and cytherinae which were also noticed at Comstock's. Below these 

 layers are others of a drab color, with cavities, and a more earthy deposit at the water's edge. 

 Wood-cut No. 17 represents the head only of the Eurypterus remipes, 

 in its natural size ; it is wholly different from every thing else known, 

 and therefore a characteristic. I have not heard of the discovery of more 

 than one entire specimen, as but httle of the rock which contained it has 

 yet been excavated. 



From Oriskany creek to Madison county, with the exception of the 

 fibrous gypsum noticed at the Indian reservation, but little was seen of 

 this part of the group which required to be recorded. In Madison, the massive gypsum com- 

 mences, associated with a few other rocks not observed to the east, such as the vermicular 

 rock, which tend to give greater variety of character to the group in that section of the district, 

 and greater interest to the third deposit. 



In the third district, the gypsum does not appear in layers or beds ; on the contrary, it 

 occurs in insulated masses, as though the particles of each mass had been attracted by a com- 

 mon centre, but greatly modified by disturbing causes, so that the forms which it assumed 

 were irregular and not globular masses. In many localities, there appears to be two ranges 

 of these masses, or plaster beds, as they are termed, generally separated by the vermicular 



