1215 



LOWEB LIGNITIC AT VICKSBURG— NORTH RANKIN. 



.37 



specimen at the waters edge. It resembles the indurate marl of the McNutt 

 Hills; the only fossil which is distinguishable on the specimen obtained (now in 

 the cabinet of Oakland College) is a cast of Cardium, not sufficiently distinct to 

 allow of observing the differences distinguishing the Cardium diversum of 

 Vicksburg age from C. Nicolleti of Jackson and Claiborne. 



215. The position of the Brandon bed is given in Sec. 30 (1218 ; stratum No. 

 1). Its relation to the Jackson beds cannot, however, be observed there. N. 

 of Brandon, at Mr. John Parker's place, S. 19, '!'. 6, E. 4 E., there is an 

 alternation of calcareous and gypseous strata, represented in the following 

 profile obtained in a well by that gentleman : 



(Sec. 29.) 

 SECTION OF TERTIART IN MR. JOHN PARKER'S WELL, RANKIN 



COUNTY. 



Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain specimens of the shells contained in 

 strata Nos. 1 and 2 ; there can be little doubt, however, that they are of the 

 Jackson age. The gray gypseous clay No. 3 crops out near the mouth of a 

 creek into the Peelahatchie, S. 7, T. G, R. 4 E. ; it there contains both selenite 

 and small masses of lignite. It seems to be this clay chiefly, from which the soil 

 of the "gypseous prairies" of N. Rankin and Hinds is derived, while the 

 calcareous strata (No. 4, and part of 5) form small prairies or ''prairie hilltops" 

 on the intervening hills. Strata 3, 4 and 5 occur at Clinton, and in a R. R. cut 

 S. of Jackson ; specimens of selenite occurring in gra3 r clay, have been collected 

 by Prof. Wailes, 7 miles N. W. of Jackson, and are mentioned as occurring 

 abundantly at Ball Prairie, 6 miles W. of Jackson. 



