104 BASINS. 



BASINS IN THE CONNECTICUT EIVEE VALLEY. 



From the map of this valley, given in the Illustrations of Surface Geology and in Plate III. of this Re- 

 port, we are able to enumerate at least twenty-two basins, which are the following : 



1. From Long Island Sound to Middletown, Connecticut. From the mouth of the river to the south 

 part of Haddam, Ct., twelve miles, the terraces are numerous. The remaining thirteen miles to Middle- 

 town exhibit very few phenomena of Surface Geology. 



2. At Middletown the longest and widest of all the basins commences, and extends to Mt. Holyoke, where 

 a range of greenstone crosses the valley, and separates this from the succeeding basin. It is fifty-three 

 miles long, and from three to ten miles in width. 



3. The third basin extends from Mt. Holyoke to Mt. Mettawampe in Sunderland, and Mt. Sugar Loaf in 

 Deerfield, with an arm one hundred and ten miles long running down to New Haven, west of the principal 

 Greenstone range, connecting Mt. Holyoke and East and West Bock in New Haven. The main basin is 

 fifteen miles long. Another arm runs to Northfield, west of a greenstone and sandstone range of hills. 



4. The fourth basin extends from Mt. Mettawampe to the mouth of Miller's Biver, in the northeast part 

 of Montague, Mass. It is narrow, and not more than eight or ten miles long. 



5. The next basin reaches from the mouth of Miller's Biver to Brattleboro, Vt. Some of its higher ter- 

 races extend across the barrier into basin No. 4, and also into basin No. 3, in Bernardston, Mass. Though 

 seventeen miles long, it is narrow. 



6. The next basin extends to Bellows Falls, a distance of seventeen miles. Near Brattleboro the basin 

 is quite narrow ; and the terraces are best developed upon the upper five miles of the basin, north of West- 

 minster village. 



7. The seventh basin extends from Bellows Falls to North Charlestown, N. H., and Springfield, Vt. 

 fourteen miles, where the mountains close in upon the river. Yet some of the highest terraces, at both 

 extremities, pass over into the adjoining basins. 



8. The basin from Springfield to Mt. Ascutney is ten miles long, and its northern limit is not so well 

 marked as some of the others, but the terraces are mostly wanting against Mt. Ascutney. 



9. The limits of the basins in the Connecticut valley above Windsor are generally very well defined by 

 rocky gorges. The ninth of the series extends from Mt. Ascutney to the south line of Norwich, a rocky 

 gorge separating this from the preceding. It is seventeen and a half miles long. 



10. This basin is embraced between the north and south lines of Norwich, six miles. Dartmouth Col- 

 lege is situated within this basin. 



11. From the north town line of Norwich to a point half a mile north of the south line of Fairlee, a 

 distance of seven miles, is a very distinct basin, limited by rocky gorges at both ends, and displaying some 

 fine terraces. 



12. The smallest and shortest, but not the narrowest, of all the basins is comprised in an extent of five 

 miles, all that belongs to Vermont being comprised within the town limits of East Fairlee. The meadow 

 is quite wide over most of the distance. The northern limit coincides nearly with the latitude of the north 

 end of Fairlee Pond. 



13. The thirteenth basin extends from the limit just mentioned to South Newbury. Its northern limit 

 is not so marked as the boundaries of the last four or five basins. The highest terrace extends from basin 

 No. 12 into basin No. 13. Its length is eight and a half miles. 



14. This basin reaches barely into the town of Byegate, with a length of seven miles, and contains some 

 very fine terraces, as all who have ever visited Newbury and Wells river can testify. 



15. This one extends from South Byegate to Mclndoes Falls in Barnet, a distance of eight miles. 



16. For a distance of nine miles, from Mclndoes Falls to Waterford, the terraces are inferior to those on 

 the beautiful basins below, but constitute a distinct basin, and are terminated by a sort of beach or shore 

 extending to the banks of the river on both sides. 



17. The next fifteen miles to the mouth of Cat Bow Brook, at the Cat Bow, have not been examined, 

 except the first mile, where two or three stunted terraces were found. It is safe to presume the existence of 

 at least one basin within this space. 



