CLASSIFICATION OF UPPER PALAOZOIC ROCKS. 685 
TOPOGRAPHY. 
The region under consideration is a belt of country varying 
in breadth from fifty to seventy-five miles, extending across the 
state from south to north in an approximate northerly direction. 
Topographically, it is a region with high hills which generally 
have rounded slopes capped by escarpments of massive lime- 
stone and flint. The valleys are narrow, and the landscape 
as a whole presents an appearance quite at variance with the pre- 
conceived idea of the plains of Kansas. As my knowledge of 
the country increases, I am led to see the resemblance that it 
bears, in miniature, to the Colorado plateau of the west [ Utah 
and Arizona|. Its topographic features appear to be similar to 
the Ozark uplift of southern Missouri which has been well 
described by Nason as follows: ‘‘While at the base of these 
steep-sided hills we cannot escape the feeling that we are among 
mountains. A climb up the slope dispels the idea however. 
Instead of a commanding view from the summit of the divide we 
look forth upon what in the distance appears to be a plain 
stretching away on every hand. The mountain crests rise to the 
same level as far as the eye can reach.’’* 
This elevated tract of land known as the ‘‘ Flint Hills” crosses 
the southern boundary of the state on the line of Cowley and 
Chautauqua counties and then extends in a northerly direction 
with a breadth varying from twenty-five to forty miles. A view 
from the summit of the divides reveals an extensive plateau in 
which the streams have eroded many small valleys, leaving 
numerous mesas and other interesting topographic features due 
to the alternation of layers of flint and massive limestones with 
shales and shaly limestones. Along the valleys of the rivers and 
of Professor Hall upon Mr. Meek’s paper, contain the following statement: “Mr. 
Gavit called attention to the fact that, in the last number of Silliman’s Journal, Profes- 
sor Swallow makes a similar announcement as to the identity of certain fossils of 
Nebraska with those recognized as Permian” (Trans. Albany Inst., Vol. IV., p. 248). 
Finally, Professor James D. Dana wrote me: “I have no doubt that the number for 
March, 1858, was out and off by the 1st [of March] if not before” (Letter of March 
28, 1895). 
* Geol. Surv. Missouri, Vol. II., 1892, p. 86. 
