96 TACONIC SLATE NEAR WATEKVILLE. 



intervening country is moderately ridged with low hills, and the rock only appears occa- 

 sionally, but enough of it may be seen to convince the most sceptical that it is but one 

 continuous rock. One or two miles west of West-Waterville, the taconic slate is succeeded 

 by the primary schists with granitic veins, as in the country between Waterville and Port- 

 land. In the direction of their strike, they pass onwards to the Piscataqua river, where the 

 fine roofing slates abound, which are described by Dr. Jackson in his Report on the Geology 

 of Maine. 



In the position of the roofing slate in Maine, we have another fact analogous to what 

 actually exists in New-York, namely, the roofing slates are confined to beds subordinate 

 to the taconic slate ; and it is to be remembered, too, that as yet no slate fit for roofing has 

 been found in the Hudson river rocks. 



Having examined the slate in a westerly direction as far as seemed necessary, in which 

 examination I was assisted by Prof. Loomis of Waterville College, I proceeded across the 

 strata in an easterly direction towards Belfast. On this route the slate continues about 

 seven miles. No variation of character in this rock appears in this distance : it consists, afs 

 at Water\ ille, of alternating hard and soft layers or beds, together with the siliceous, cal- 

 careous and coarse brecciated beds. Towards China, seven miles from Waterville, the rocks 

 assume more the character of the primary schists, but the precise point where the change 

 occurs was not observed. 



From the exposition of this rock and its beds, it appears to be at least fifteen miles wide, 

 leaving out of view the equivocal portion in the vicinity of China. On placing specimens 

 of the slate and its beds side by side- with those of New- York, it is impossible to discover 

 any essential diflference between them. It is true, however, that as yet species of the 

 same JVereites have not been discovered in New- York. 



It was in the vicinity of Waterville that Prof. Loomis discovered the fossils referred to 

 on page 69. 



The character of the country over which the taconic slate prevails, resembles that of 

 Rensselaer and Washington counties in New- York ; and the valley of the Kennebeck at 

 and above Waterville, resembles that of the Hoosic. Some of the best farming land in 

 the State lies in and adjacent to this valley, which is productive in grass, and will probably 

 soon supply the southern cities wnth hay. 



Omitting for the present the farther consideration of the rocks of the Kennebeck, I 

 observe, that between China and Montville, mica slate and gneiss, together with granitic 

 veins, are the only rocks that make tiieir appearance ; and again ten miles west of Belfast, 

 a still coarser mica slate occurs, charged with garnet, schorl, hornblende, and large masses 

 of felspar : the rock dips southeast. Five miles west of Belfast, a much finer talcose slate 

 is the surface rock, a slate approaching in its characters the magnesian slate of the Taconic 

 range in New-York. 



