TO JUNCTION OP GEAND AND GEEBN BIVEKS. 45 



their original condition, in the succeeding section, taken in a locality 'less than two miles 

 distant, the lowest sedimentary rock is not in the least affected by the proximity of the 

 granite. These facts conclusively show, as it seems to ni e, that the granite was already 

 consolidated before the sedimentary rocks were deposited upon it, and that the reason why 

 the strata underlying the Carboniferous rocks in the Colorado basin are here wanting is 

 simply this: that the surface of the granite upon which they should have been deposited 

 was here too high to receive them. It will be noticed that in the foregoing section of 

 the Coal-Measure strata there are no beds of coal, and yet the preponderance of 

 mechanical over organic sediments, that is, of shales and sandstones over limestones, 

 and especially the presence of coarse sandstones and conglomerates, give to this section 

 a character strongly contrasting with that of the strata of the same age in Kansas a 

 character unquestionably due to the closer and more constant proximity to high land. 



Section of the Carboniferous rocks in the yorye of Santa Fe River. 



No. 2. 



Fort. Inches. 



1. Compact blue limestone 10 



'2. Gray, brown, and black shales 1 - 



3. Pinkish shelly limestone, a mass of fossils, containing Atlujris Roysii, 



A. locidei/x, A. stibtUita, Spirifcr cameratHs, S. Hm-atus, Producing 

 I/IH/OSUS, P. semireticulatus, P. Ncal/ricidus, P. Itogersi, OrthlaliM tinihra- 

 ciihun, Ortlds MicltU'uii (."), lihi/i/choncUa iita, 1'lati/ccras, sp., Nautilus, 



SI)., &G '- 5 



4. Brown, black, and greenish shale 4 



5. Gray limestone (> 



<i. Coal - 4 



7. Green and blue shale 1 



S. Crinoidal limestone, equivalent of No. 32 of preceding section ; very fos- 



siliferous 4 



9. Bituminous and argillaceous shale 1 i 



10. Crinoidal limestone, equivalent of No. 32 of preceding section (> 



11. Gray and blue shale, with bands of bituminous shale and coaly matter, 



with Calamites and leaves of Cor dalles 5 



12. Ferruginous sandstone 4 



1 ,">. G ray and blue shale - 8 



14. Massive concretionary and brecciated gray limestone, containing crinoi- 



dal columns, Atliyris suUilita, Productus semireticulatus, &c G 



15. Foliated limestone, gray and mottled, with dendritic manganese. . . 15 



1 f i. Coarse, soft, white sandstone 3 



17. Red granite, passing into mica slate, to base. 



In this section the Carboniferous fossils approach nearer the granite than in the 

 preceding one, and the sandstone No. 16 is very soft, and exhibits no trace of ineta- 

 morphism. Another section, (No. 3), taken at the south base of Ccrm (iordo, will, with 

 tha preceding one, suffice to give a clear idea of the character of the Carboniferous 

 strata near Santa Fe. 



