382 A.PPENDIX. 



the cataract. It is often seen on the surface of the country, or 

 buried slightly beneath the soil. In color, hardness, and other 

 characters, there is a manifest variety. But, considered as a 

 "formation," no doubt can exist of its unity. Its thickness can 

 only be conjectured, as no labor has, so far as we know, pene- 

 trated through it. 



Judging from observations made in Cattaraugus County, in 

 1818, the coal measures have been completely swept from this area. 



2. Next in point of altitude, is the series of dark, carbonaceous, 

 shelly slate rock. The thickness of this formation, as indicated 

 at Niagara, cannot be less than ninety feet. It is also often a 

 surface-rock in the district, forming portions of the banks of lakes, 

 streams, &c. It is characterized by organic remains of nascent 

 species. Portions of it also disclose rounded masses of pre-exist- 

 ing rocks. 



3. Last in the order of superposition, is the secondary limestone 

 formation. It is, most commonly, of a dark, sedimentary aspect. 

 It is not invariably so, but portions of it have a shining, semi- 

 crystalline fracture. Shades of color also vary considerably, but 

 it never, in the scale of colors, exceeds a whitish-gray. Viewed 

 at different localities, the mass is either compact, fetid, shelly, or 

 silicious. Much of it produces good quicklime. It is often ren- 

 dered "bastard," as the phrase is, by argillaceous and earthy im- 

 purities. Organic impressions, and remains of sea shells and 

 coarse corals are frequent. Encrinites give some portions of it 

 the appearance of eyed or dotted secondary marble. The occur- 

 rence of a hard variety of hornstone, which is not flint, is appa- 

 rently confined to the compact, fetid variety. This formation, 

 like the two preceding, may be found to consist of separate strata. 

 Localities, joinings, overlayings, substrata, mineral contents, or- 

 ganic species, &c., require observation. The following notices are 

 added. 



. Geological Changes. — The evidences which are furnished of 

 ancient submersion, which has "changed and overturned" vast 

 portions of the solid land, are neither few nor equivocal. They 

 are seen as well in the rock strata as the alluvial soils. The most 

 elevated hills and the lowest valleys are equally productive of the 

 evidences of extensive changes. The whole aspect of the country 

 seems to attest to the ancient dominion of water. But the most 



