ee 
ORDER OF WORK IN PLACER, EL DORADO, AND AMADOR. 81 
For the district south of the Mokelumne River —the southern boundary of 
Mr. Goodyear’s work — there are no complete surveys, although most of the 
mining region between that river and the Merced has been passed over 
and portions examined in some detail by the writer, and especially by Mr. 
Rémond, who made, in 1865, quite a detailed examination of the region 
between the Merced and the Stanislaus. The volcanic rocks and the quartz 
mines are of great interest in this region; but the gravels are much less 
important than they are farther north. It is, however, from the detrital 
deposits south of the Stanislaus that most of the interesting fossils, to be 
described farther on, have been obtained. 
In giving the details of the various gravel deposits which have been ex- 
amined, a beginning will be made with the district so carefully surveyed by 
Mr. Goodyear. His notes, however, which are in the form of a journal, are 
too voluminous for publication in full in the present volume, and they include 
much matter which has no reference. to the gravel question. Besides, as 
some localities were visited more than once, at different times, there is neces- 
sarily more or less repetition, and supplementing of details imperfectly made 
out at a first examination. Mr. Goodyear also furnished a review, or general 
discussion, of his observations, which will be frequently referred to and quoted 
from in a future chapter. In giving a résumé of Mr. Goodyear’s notes, the 
observations made by him in the course of his work will be arranged in 
what appears to be the most suitable order for acquiring a clear idea of the 
nature of the phenomena. The lithological character of the bed-rock and its 
stratigraphical position will first be indicated. Next the appearance and 
form of its swfuce, as exposed after the gravel has been washed away, will 
be described, and such other facts mentioned as naturally fall into this divis- ° 
ion of the subject. After giving all that seems necessary to be mentioned 
in reference to the bed-rock, the gravel deposits will be described with some 
detail; then will follow some details in regard to the volcane materials so 
intimately associated with the gravel, as already mentioned; next, the 
channels will be taken up, and their position, size, direction, and grade at 
the different localities examined will be given; finally, the distribution of 
the gold in the gravel, its position in reference to the form and character 
of the channel and the rim-rock, will be discussed, with the addition of such 
facts in regard to the workings, from an economical and practical point of 
view, at the various localities visited, as may seem to be of general interest. 
The order followed in giving these various details for each branch of the 
