ANSON-MADISON SERIES. 179 



poured into the sea at tlie time it was depositing the broad delta sands of 

 Solon, P]mljden, Anson, Madison, Skowhegan, and Waterville. 



A comparison of this valley with others at the same distance from the 

 coast strongly points to the conclusion that the broad gravel, sand, and clay 

 plains extending- from Embden and Solon northward are frontal or overwash 

 plains, dating from the time when the ice had retreated to a point north of 

 Bingham. These vast deposits, consisting of the underclay and the sur- 

 face sands and gravels, were laid down upon a series of still older gravels 

 which were of purely glacial origin and have been seen only in a few 

 places. The glacial river probably flowed down the Kennebec Valley to 

 Norridgewock and then southward, not along the river to Skowhegan. A 

 low valley covered by clays and silts, probably marine, extends from Nor- 

 ridgewock southeastward into Fairfield, and two other valleys, covered by 

 fine sediments, extend southwestward into Belgi'ade. The last named are 

 along lines of glacial gravels. 



The glacial, flu\aatile, estuarine, and marine sediments are all repre- 

 sented near Norridgewock, and the region is a difficult one ix> understand. 



A sedimentary plain several miles broad covers the lower portion of 

 the valley of the Sandy River. Its general character resembles that of 

 the Kennebec Valley at the same elevation. This alluvial plain connects 

 southward by two lines of clay with the marine clays. One of these 

 lines of clay extends from Mercer Village southeastward through Belgrade 

 to Augusta; the other from Farmington Falls southward through Chester- 

 ville, Fayette, and East Livermore to Leeds and Sebatis. The origin 

 of these sediments situated above the 230-foot contour will be discussed 

 later. 



ANSON-MADISON SERIES. 



A dome of kame gravel 75 feet high is found on the south bank of 

 the Carrabassett Stream about 4 miles northwest of the village of North 

 Anson. Three other similar deposits, separated by gaps up to a mile in 

 length, are arranged in a line from this point southeastward. Then appears 

 a rather continuous ridge which crosses a very low divide and subse- 

 quently follows the valle}^ of Getchell Brook for several miles southeast- 

 Avard through Anson. The gravels pass one-half mile west of Anson 

 Village (Madison Bridge), cross the Kennebec a short distance north of 

 the mouth of Sandy River, and then ajipear as a ridge on the east side 



