52 TRANSACTIONS OF THE WAGNER FKI.K 



RESUME OP GEOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, AND THE 

 GEOLOGY OF THE STATE. 



Prior to our visit the only portion of the State that had been exam- 

 ined geologically, or on which a geological report had been prepared, 

 was the region lying north of a line running almost due northeast from 

 the Manatee River, just south of Tampa Bay, to the east coast. Below 

 this all was conjectural, although the existence of certain limestones of 

 undetermined age was hinted at, or even located, by a number of casual 

 observers (Tuomey, Conrad) who chanced to navigate some of the outer 

 waters. Such a limestone was reported by Tuomey to be found in 

 Charlotte Harbor, but the exact locality of its occurrence is not noted. 



The first critical observations on the geology of the State were made 

 by Conrad, who in 1846 described a limited number of fossils from a 

 limestone found in the neighborhood of Tampa, which he correctly 

 assigned to the Tertiary period. This is the earliest positive reference 

 we possess of a definite formation occurring in the State. From the 

 presence of a supposed nummulite in the limestone in question, Ntnnmit- 

 lites Floridanus, now shown to be in reality an orbitolite, Conrad corre- 

 lated the deposit with the Vicksburg formation of Alabama and Missis- 

 sippi, from which also a supposed nummulite, Ni<ininulitcs (Orbitoidcs) 

 Mantelli, had been described, and which had until then passed under the 

 name of the American nummulitic formation. Although the determina- 

 tions of both of the foraminiferal species have been proved to be 

 erroneous, the correlation of the respective beds containing the fossils 

 remains approximately correct, even it not absolutely so. 



It is remarkable that in spite of the positive assurance given by Con- 

 rad of the existence of this Tampa limestone so little account should 

 have been made of it in the subsequent theories regarding the formation 

 of the Floridian peninsula, and that the seductive coral theory of growth 

 advanced by Louis Agassiz, and so beautifully formulated by Professor 

 Joseph Le Conte, should have been allowed the weight which it carried 

 for a quarter of a century. Singularly enough, not even Conrad appears 

 to have protested against the theory which had for its ground-work only 

 an examination of the belt of coral reef and the coral keys which border 

 the State on the south and southeast. 



The only serious contribution to the geology of Florida made 



