328 On the Coal Formations in the State of New York. 



But the issues, "near the village of Canandaigua, and near the Ca- 

 yuga lake," ought to be noticed as belonging to another formation. 



I have observed bitumen in the limestone at Lockport ;* also in 

 the limestone at Seneca Falls ; and during the burning of a lime-kiln 

 one mile south of Union Springs, I have noticed in a calm evening 

 that the air was scented to a considerable distance with bituminous 

 vapor. These facts may be considered in accounting for the gas 

 which springs from the limestone above Niagara Falls. 



The much greater abundance of carburetted hydrogen which oc- 

 curs in the pyritiferous slate ; the actual discovery of some coal, to- 

 gether with the great thickness of the overlying formation, induce 

 me to doubt whether this gas rises from below the saliferous rock. 

 At Bristol, in the channel of a small stream, eight miles south west- 

 erly from Canandaigua, — and in a ravine, one mile north-easterly 

 from Aurora village, nearly on the same level, and perhaps with 

 twelve hundred feet of intervening rock, the quantities which issue 

 are very great, and at either place might be profitably used, as it 

 burns very freely. Near my dwelling, one mile north of the latter 

 locality, and three hundred feet above the Cayuga lake, in cutting a 

 ditch five feet deep, (one foot through the slate, among septaria) 

 much carburetted hydrogen rose through the water. 



As Prof. E. in his estimates, appears not to have considered the 

 dip of the strata to the south, I apprehend that considerable additions 

 ought to be made to the depth of his proposed borings. 



To conclude, if Prof. E.'s health and business would permit him 

 to visit the valley of the Towanda, he probably might discover wheth- 

 er that red sandstone is the same as the saliferous rock of New York? 

 Whether it lies under or over the bituminous coal ? and he possi- 

 bly might ascertain whether the inclination of our limestone and pyri- 

 tiferous slate, south of our lakes, is changed ? Whether these strata 

 terminate with bevelled edges against the ascending saliferous rock ? 

 Or whether the last mentioned rock belongs to another formation ? 

 The determination of these points must be deeply interesting to ge- 

 ologists. 



Greatfield, Cayuga Co. N. Y. lilh mo. 15, 1830. 



* The author, in a letter accompanying his communication, says, that not having a 

 specimen by him, at the time lie was writing, it is possible that the substance obser- 

 ved, was bituminous coal ; it exhaled a distinct bituminous odor on being healed ; 

 and as regards the views expressed in the paper, it is perhajis of little importance 

 wliich it was. — JDd. 



