480 GLACIAL FORMATIONS OF ERIE AND OHIO BASINS. 



the distance, a series of knolls somewhat closely aggregated and of irregular 

 form, standing 10 to 15 feet above bordering plains. On the north side of 

 the Mississinawa River, near the point where connection is made with the 

 moraine of that name, there are numerous basins inclosed among the swells, 

 the topograph}' being of a subdued knob-and-basin type for a mile or more 

 south from the point of connection. This portion of the moraine borders an 

 esker closely on the west. No decisive evidence was obtained as to its age 

 compared with the inner chain of ridges just described. It lies inside the 

 line connecting the outer chain of ridges, and is therefore, in all jDrobability, 

 of later date than that chain. 



Before leaving this topic a brief description will be given of the feebly 

 ridged tract leading northwestward from Muncie to the Wabash River, 

 near Peru. Near Reeds, the first station on the Lake Eric and Western 

 Railway west of Muncie, a slight ridging occurs with west-northwest to east- 

 southeast trend, i. e., in line with that of the belt. There is also in this 

 vicinity for 2 or 3 miles an abrupt rise of 10 to 15 feet or more fi'om the 

 plain on the south into the ridged belt. This is tlie only locality west of the 

 meridian of Muncie where a well-defined relief was observed. Throughout 

 the remainder of its course to the Wabash River this belt consists of swells, 

 either isolated or in groups; whose height seldom exceeds 15 feet and 

 among which there are nearly plane tracts that constitute perhaps one-half 

 the surface along the line of the belt. The difference between this belt and 

 the bordering country consists mainly in the greater frequency of its swells, 

 for occasional swells 10 or 15 feet high are to be found on the bordering 

 plains. Similar topography occurs on the ujjlands between the Wabash 

 and Eel rivers, thougli the swells are more immerous and the expression 

 is somewhat stronger than south of the Wabasli. A peculiar sand ridge 

 was found in this district which merits notice. It lies a few miles north of 

 Peru, on elevated iipland overlooking Eel River from tlie south, being 

 mainly in sec. 29, T. 28, R. 5 E., biit extending into the adjoining sections 

 on the east and the west. Its trend is nearly due east and west. It stands 

 6 to 12 feet above the bordering country and is but 10 to 30 rods in width. 

 So far as opened it consists wholly of sand, though lying in a district where 

 the surface of the drift is till and being underlain by till at the level of its 

 base. It more nearly resembles a beach line than a glacial formation, but 

 no other evidence of the presence of a lake was discovered. Its origin, 

 therefore, remains unsettled. 



