1881.] ^^'^ [Stevenson. 



separates the waters of Bluestone from those of the Guyandot. But 

 beyond the head of Wolf creek, the streams rise in a narrow ridge, from 

 whose opposite side flow those streams which form the Tug fork of Sandy 

 river. This is a mere knife-edge, so narrow at times as barely to afford 

 room for the country road, which follows its crest. 



The surface features of the region on both sides of Bluestone and beyond 

 the divide westward are due wholly to erosion. The carving is stupendous. 

 Standing on any of the high points of Flat Top mountain and looking into 

 Mercer county on the one side or into McDowell and Wyoming on the other, 

 one can compare the surface only to that of an ocean petrified at the height 

 of a terrible storm. But this comparison fails. Narrow ridges, rising to 

 a height of 900 to 1400 feet, separate equally narrow valleys, in which flow 

 rapid streams, carrying much water during a great part of the year. The 

 slopes of these ridges are abrupt, sometimes reaching 35°, aud are covered 

 by a dense forest of white oak and poplar (tulip-tree). 



The whole region is known as "Flat Top." All the summits between 

 Flat Top mountain and Peters mountain have been planed off to a rudely 

 level surface, a condition wholly independent of the dip, which north 

 from Bluestone varies from 7° to a mere fraction of a degree. Beautifully 

 perfect benches were seen at from 400 to 900 feet above Bluestone creek, 

 in the ridges separating tributaries to that stream, while still higher 

 benches were observed on Flat Top mountain. But as no spirit-level 

 determinations were at hand along Bluestone, no notes were taken respect- 

 ing the relations of these benches. 



The influence of the Abb's Valley fault* is shown along the line of 

 Bluestone, for there the dips are well marked, whereas as one goes north- 

 ward from that stream, they become insignificant. 



Along the New river at Hinton, a fine-grained, grit-like sandstone 

 occurs, which belongs to the Mountain Limestone division of the Lower 

 Carboniferous. It forms a clifl" at numerous localities on the Chesapeake 

 and Ohio railroad, both above and below Hinton, and can be traced along 

 New river to the mouth of Bluestone, as well as up that stream to the 

 mouth of Little Bluestone. Higher members of the group appear as one 

 ascends the stream, and the Quinnimont coal group is reached before one 

 comes to the junction of Laurel and Mud creeks, in Tazewell county of 

 Virginia. The top of this group is not caught within the region visited, 

 which extends only to four miles above the mouth of Laurel creek. 



A section was obtained on Laurel creek, which does not reach the 

 bottom of the Quinnimont group, but it embraces all of the important 

 beds of the series. It is as follows : 



1. Concealed 70' 



2. Sandstone 10' 



3. Drab Shale 20' 



4. Purdue Goal bed 2' 



5. Sandstone 20' 



• Described by Prof. J. P. Lesley, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc , 1872. 



PKOC. AMER. PHiLOs. SOC. XIX, 109. 3k, pri:i^ted kot. 1, 1881. 



