IIUNTINGTON RIVER. 141 



the top, and is marked as No. 4 upon the Map. The first terrace is composed of clay east of Montpclier. 

 Besides this terrace in passing to East Montpelier, we find generally one, though there are often two others, 

 which are ranked as the third and fourth. Many of these terraces are composed of clay. Between this 

 village and Marshfield the terraces are very similar, not being numerous, but often quite large. They may 

 be seen upon the general map, with such variations as occur in their number, extent and situation. 

 We have regarded this basin as extending to the Great Falls in Marshfield, although it cannot be considered 

 as well marked. Beyond the Falls there may be another basin extending on both branches to the ponds 

 in Cabot, from which the Winooski takes its rise. 



Returning to glance at the tributaries of the Winooski, in ascending from Burlington we first strike 

 Muddy Brook in the east part of that town. The work accomplished by this small stream has been mainly 

 to cut through the highest terrace of Winooski River, and thereby produce two terraces. This brook is 

 small and quite short. 



The most interesting of the tributaries is Huntington River, which rises in Huntington in the long trian- 

 gular part of the town, and joins the Winooski at Jonesville, in E. Richmond. The first two miles of the 

 stream, reckoning from its mouth, have only two terraces upon their banks. The river descends rapidly here, 

 and in one place passes through a gorge. Then the river becomes more crooked and makes a great bend in 

 the south part of Richmond. A high terrace on both sides of this bend continues to Huntington ; and the 

 terraces below the highest arc well developed. This part of the valley forms a distinct basin of terraces, 

 which are represented upon Plate V, Fig. 3. These terraces are found upon the small tributaries also and 

 extend to the south part of the town. So gradual is the ascent, that we do not consider the terraces to 

 belong to more than one basin. But it should be especially noticed, that these terraces arc very well 

 marked, more so than usual. Their special variations are noticeable upon the general map. 



Upon a previous page we have noticed a remarkable terrace in the southeast corner of Huntington, ou 

 the summit level between Lewis Creek and Huntington River. The same terrace descends the tributary 

 to Huntington, and is continuous with the highest terrace on Huntington River to Richmond. We have 

 noticed another similar case on the hill road from Huntington to Jonesville. At the highest point in the 

 road there is a most distinct valley, with a terrace 20 feet high on both sides of it. The valley, or first 

 terrace is 624 feet above Lake Champlain ; the second terrace is 641 feet above the same level, which is 

 105 feet higher than Huntington, and 61 feet lower than the high terrace in S.E. Huntington. Hence the 

 bottoms of these two elevated valleys cannot be far from the same level. We did not take the height ot 

 the meadow in the first case, and can therefore judge of its height only from the highest terrace. We 

 regarded that as 50 feet high, in the former case, and it is 17 feet by measurement in the latter case. 

 This would make the difference in height between the lowest points in the two valleys to be only 28 feet. 



We had supposed the latter case (on the town line of Huntington and Richmond) to have been the 

 valley of Huntington River at a former period, it being only 100 feet above the present level of that river. 

 In that case there must have been a very great wearing away of rock subsequently. If so, on account 

 of the nearness of height of these two summit levels, we may suppose tliat these high terraces in both cases 

 were formed by Huntington River, upon a former continent. 



Upon a stream coming down from the east side of Camel's Hump in Duxbury there are a couple of rough 

 terraces at its mouth. 



Waterbury River and Thatcher Branch have terraces upon them ; in the latter case, they are numerous 

 and distinct, running up to Waterbury Center. 



At the mouth of Mad River in Morctown there are no terraces, because the river is forced through a 

 narrow passage in the rock. Higher up there are three upon each bank, and we have reason to suppose 

 that they are more numerous still in Moretown village. 



Three and four terraces were seen on Kingsbury branch, occasionally, between Montpelier and West 

 Montpelier. The railroad passes up Dog River between the west part of Montpclier and Northfield. 

 Occasionally terraces were seen upon its banks, and between Northfield and Roxbury there may be seen a 

 very high terrace composed of coarse materials. A few terraces occur on Molly's Brook in Marshficld. 



