of the Eastern States. 227 



Fundy. In the deeper waters toward the center of the bay, 

 it is evident that another kind of deposit would be spread out, 

 more homogeneous in composition than the shore formation, 

 although doubtless presenting sudden changes from sand to 

 mud, caused by strong currents sweeping through the waters. 

 These deposits would also differ from those along the shore, in 

 the absence of rain-marks, sun-cracks, and foot-prints. 



We may reasonably conclude, therefore, from the character 

 of the deposits now forming, that wherever we find rocks 

 bearing sun-cracks, rain-drop impressions, or the well-defined 

 tracks of animals, that such beds were at one time soft and 

 plastic, and were exposed above the water for at least a few 

 hours. We can in all probability extend our conclusion, and 

 consider that such deposits were formed in shallow water, along 

 the shores of a bay or estuary, subject to high tides. Now, 

 as we have seen, we find all these inscriptions on the Triassic 

 rocks of New Jersey, and in many other portions of the 

 Triassic areas above mentioned. I cannot resist the conclusion, 

 therefore, that the red shales and sandstones of New Jersey 

 were deposited under conditions very similar to those now in 

 action in the Bay of Fundy, and indicate the position of a 

 great land-locked bay in that region during Triassic times. 

 This ancient bay must have been subject to high tides and 

 strong currents, leaving great areas along its shores exposed as 

 mud-flats during low tide ; such being the case, we must con- 

 clude that a great subsidence occurred, to allow of the accu- 

 mulation of shore deposits, or even mud-fiats, throughout such 

 a great thickness as is here indicated. A corresponding sink- 

 ing of the bottom is now in progress in the Bay of Fundy, 

 and in many other localities. 



It is by no means certain, however, that no displacements 

 occur in the area under consideration ; yet none have been 

 reported, and none have been observed by the writer — except- 

 ing three or four very small faults, with a displacement of a 

 few inches each, at Boonton. It has occurred to me that the 

 nearly parallel trap ridges that traverse these rocks in a 



