130 NEW YOEK STATE MUSEUM 



Lenticular masses of gray sand are sometimes found in the 

 black clay. The black clay also contains furstules of Melosira 

 grcmulata, (Ehr.) Ralfs, and numbers of a jointed yellowish brown 

 hair, resembling those of a crustacean. The black clay burns to 

 a white brick. About four miles west of this locality near Farm- 

 ingdale the section in Myers' clay pit is 



Sand and gravel 6 feet 



Eed sandy clay 6 " 



Yellow and red sand, wavy lamination .... 2 " 



Reddish yellow clay 6 " 



Reddish blue clay 20 " 



Micaceous sand, cross-bedded " 



Total thickness 40 " 



About one-quarter mile south of Myers' brick yard is that of 

 Stewart. The section at this locality ( now obliterated ) as given 

 by Dr. Merrill is * 



Surface stratum yellow micaceous clay 35 feet 



Eeddish and sandy clay 5 " 



Blue black sandy clay with nodules of white pyrites .... 25 " 

 White sand " 



Total thickness 65 " 



A local deposit of grayish blue sandy clay occurs at E. Willis- 

 ton. It varies in depth from six to 20 feet and is underlain by 

 sand. On my last visit to this locality I foand a number of stems 

 and leaf fragments in the clay but none of them sufficiently well 

 preserved for identification. 



There is still some doubt as to the exact conditions under 

 which the beds of clay and gravel which form the greater por- 

 tion of Long Island were deposited, but it is probable that the 

 clays represent shallow water marine deposits of Cretaceous and 

 Tertiary age. The overlying sands and gravels have in most 

 instances a cross-bedded structure, with a south dip, and were 

 probably deposited by swift currents as stated by Dr. Merrill. 



The age of the clays is still largely a matter of speculation, 

 and will probably remain so in many cases unless palaeontologic 

 evidence is forthcoming. Those on Gardiner's Island are quite 



♦Geology of L. I., Ann. N. Y. Acad, of Sei., Nov. 1884. 



