6'tevenson.J . 401/ [June IS, 



The shell-conglomerate contains vast numbers of Ostrea cortex, while 

 the overlying banded clays exhibit Ostrea cortex, O.vellicata and Gytlierea 

 Texana, and one of the limestone layers yielded Ostrea anommformis, 

 Mytilus, 2 sp. Cardium multidriattim, Crassatella, Venus, Rostellaria, and 

 Paludina. In tracing this group from Red Deer to Battle River no 

 change was observed in the section, but at the latter locality, and some- 

 what higher in the series, a concretionary sandy limestone was found 

 containing Avicula, Cardium, CytTierea, and BacuUtes compressus.* 



On the North Saskatchewan the relations of the coals are not shown 

 fully beyond cavil. In that region the formation was traced over a great 

 extent of country and diligently searched for»fossils, but without much 

 success. The coals underlie a mass of variegated marly clays, many of 

 them containing comminuted fragments of vegetable matter. These are 

 similar to those of the Red Deer section. In the immediate vicinity of 

 Fort Edmonton, on the North Saskatchewan, there are found fi-agments 

 of silicified wood, the same as those occurring near the base on Red Deer. 

 In the absence of the higher and fossiliferous strata. Dr. Hector regards 

 the silicified wood and the remarkable lithological resemblance as proving 

 the identity of the two sections as far as compared. 



East from the Rocky Mountains, within the United States, the lignite 

 of this group is small in quantity and of very poor quality. A number 

 of localities have been given by Dr. Haydeu and others. The lignite is 

 never really workable; and, except at one locality in Wyoming, mentioned 

 by Dr. Hayden, it is not useful for fuel. At one locality, midway be- 

 tween Denver and Colorado Springs, in Colorado, I saw a deserted open- 

 ing upon a thin bed. It had proved of no value. 



In the interior of the Rocky Mountains this group seems to carry lig- 

 nite very rarely. Prof. Marsh, in 1870, discovered a bed of coal on 

 Brush Creek, a tributary of Green River. Overlying it is a sandstone 

 containing a layer full of Ostrea congesta, and further up, another which 

 yielded a crinoid, evidently allied to Marsupites. Below the coal, copro- 

 lites, cycloidal scales of fish, together with teeth resembling Megalosaurus 

 were found. This locality was afterwards visited by Mr. Emmons, who 

 ascei'tained that the rocks belong to Cretaceous, No. 1. 



I regret that the reports of Messrs. Gilbert and Howell to Lieutenant 

 Wheeler are still unpublished. They contain important details respect- 

 ing the distribution of the lower lignitic series. The report of Dr. New- 

 berry upon the San Juan Expedition has never been printed. It thus 

 happens that, although a large portion of New Mexico has been very 

 closely examined, none of the results are accessible except those ob- 

 tained by Dr. Newberry on the Ives Expedition and by Dr. J. L. Leconte 

 in 1868. 



Dr. Newberryf found this group at many localities in New Mexico, 

 carrying thin beds of lignite. At Camp 92, there is an alternation of 



* These fossils were identified by Mr. Etheridge. 



t Ives' Expedition. Report on Geology, pp. 81, 85, 87, 89, 94. 



