218 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MtJSEVM. vol.41. 



In another publication Winchell refers to these Kinclerhook shale 

 beds as the Hickman shale, but the term was never defined and has 

 since been employed for a formation of Eocene age. 



The arenaceous shales and porous cherts forming a band two feet 

 or less in thickness in the upper part of the Ridgetop shale are abun- 

 dantly fossiliferous and contain species which, considered alone, 

 would be regarded as indubitably Devonian. Among these are a 

 Striatopora, and a Michelinia of Devonian affinities, but the presence 

 of well-developed species of Palaeacis, Productus, and Agaricocrinus 

 is sufficient evidence for the post-Devonian age of the fauna. 



The Fort Payne chert and St. Louis limestone following the Ridge- 

 top shale in this section are typical for Tennessee, and need no 

 further description than that given in the section. 



WHITES CREEK SPRINGS SECTION. 



This is undoubtedly the most interesting and important Waverlyan 

 section of Tennessee, first, because it affords a clue to the unsettled 

 points in the stratigraphy of the Central Basin, and second on account 

 of the rather numerous fossils afforded by these rocks, which, in most 

 other localities contain few specimens. The section also throws a 

 somewhat unexpected light upon the equivalence of the different 

 beds of the Waverlyan with those of the upper Mississippi Valley. 

 The Springs emerge from the base of the Chattanooga shale and obtain 

 their chalybeate and other properties from the shale and its con- 

 tained minerals. Excellent exposures showing practically every 

 inch of the formations listed are to be seen in the road northward to 

 the top of the hill or on the ridge to the east. 



Geologic section, Whites Creek Springs, 12 miles north of Nashville, Tennessee. 



Waverlyan: 



Fort Payne chert — 



Massive dark gray siliceous and argillaceous limestone weathering 

 into light yellow to brown platy chert. Fossils as a rule uncom- 

 mon, crinoidal remains being most often observed. Agaricocrinus 

 americanns, A. nodulosus, Dorycrinus gouldi, and Lobocrinus nash- Feet. 



villae are the most abundant crinoids 100± 



New Providence formation — 



Coarsely crystalline white to gray crinoidal limestone in layers 12 to 

 18 inches thick, separated by thin green to blue shale bands. 

 Upon weathering these limestones and shales break up, forming 



glades covered with crinoidal remains 35 



Ridgetop shale — 



Light blue to green fossiliferous clay shales, with bryozoans and 



ostracods most abundant fossils 40 



Layers of decomposed chert — 1 



Maury green shale — 



Green shales containing phosphatic concretions 6 in. ± 



Chattanooga shale — 



Black bituminous fissile shale 35 



Hardin sandstone member 0—2 in. 



Silurian limestone. 



