CLAYS OF KEW YORK 829 



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The sliale is also to be foiind in many of the ravines and gorges, 

 from Rochester to the Niagara river. 



Salina. The shales of this formation are contained in a belt 

 extending from Syracuse westward along the line of the ISTew York 

 central railroad to Buffalo. As a rule they are extremely impure 

 and at times even marly. They are soft shales, which weather very 

 easily, and are generally red or green in color and contain the beds 

 of gypsum and salt. 



The Salina shales are well exposed at Warner, near Syracuse, 

 where they are utilized for making brick. 



Prof. Hall says of the Salina or salt gToup (^Geology of the 

 J/-th district of New Yorh. p. 11 Y), that it forms an immense 

 development of shaly marls and limestones, with interbedded de- 

 posits of gypsum. The formation extends from Syracuse westward 

 through southern Wayne co., and northern Ontario and Seneca 

 CO., northern Genesee and Erie co. and a small part of the southern 

 portion of ISTiagara. This group contains important shale beds, 

 though they are unfortunately very calcareous at times and conse- 

 quently require careful manipulation. 



The red shale forming the lower divisions of the group was not 

 observed west of the Genesee river. It appears in eastern Wayne 

 CO., as indicated by the deep red color of the soil overlying it. 

 At Lockville the greenish blue marl with bands of red has been 

 quarried from the bed of the canal. West of the Genesee this is 

 the lowest visible mass; the red shale has either thinned out or 

 lost its color, becoming gradually a bluish green; while otherwise 

 the lithologic character remains the same. On first exposure it is 

 compact and brittle, presenting an earthy fracture, but a few days 

 are sufficient to commence the work of destruction, which goes on 

 till the whole is resolved into a clayey mass. 



The green marl of the lower division appears near the canal at 

 Fairport and again at Cartersville. The bed of the stream at 

 Churchville shows the greenish blue marl. 



" The prevailing features of the second division of this gi'oup," 



