54 



TE 



The stratified rocks in this region have been greatly affected by 



Medicine Bow uphft 



) mountains surrounding 

 Mountain unlift on the 



The 



and the Seminoe and Shirlej 



mountain upHft on the north. The strata between these mountains 

 have been thrown into a series of folds and doniehke arches, and in 

 some lucahtics profoundly displaced. A small dome that brings to 

 the surface the Morrison and younger formations lies south of the 

 railroad, but can not be recognized from the train. 



nown 



W 



Medicine Bow. 



Elevation 6,560 feet. 

 Population 127. 



Omaha 630 miles. 



their laughable pranks, and the name of the novel 

 has been taken by the hotel near the station. The 

 name Medicine Bow is of Indian derivation, but 



ho^v 



came 



to the mountains from 



which the town takes its name is not certainly known. 



amiu 



mountains 



for thck bows. In Indian talk anytliing that serves its pur^^ose well 

 is ''good medicine," and according to report the- mountains and 



ams where this timber was found became 

 medicine boAVs" were obtained 



ular- 



dome 



formed 



cks 



appear at 



aroun 



formations crop out in concentric rings. The Freezeout Hills form a 

 similar dome but expose granite in the center. Some of the smaller 

 domes from whose crests the Cretaceous formations have not been 

 removed by erosion may contain important oil pools. 



The town of Medicine Bow is on a rolhng plain f onned by the erosion 

 of the Steele shale. In this plain are numerous depressions in which 

 water accumulates in wet weather, and as they have no outlet the 

 water becomes allv aline, because it takes up the salts dissolved from tlie 

 shale and loft in the basins when the water previously collected there 

 porated. These basins are similar to the alkali hikes of the Laramie 



Aale formation. Such 



formed on the surface of the same 

 intermittent lakes are found in many 



of the herbivorous dinosaurs with bonea been found. The large bones of the limbs 



scaired With tooth marks and grooves cor- were hollow, as were many other parts of 



responding exactly to the sharp, pointed the skeleton, this structure affording 



teeth of the alosaurs. The accompany- greater power of rapid movement. The 



mg picture (ri. X, B) depicts the rem- feet were armed with long, sharp claws, 



nants of such a prehistoric feast. especially the fore feet, which were well 



1 he alloaaur was a most powerful am- adapted for catching and holding prev or 

 mal. and skeletons over 20 feet long have ' for tearing and rending skin and flesh. 



