of the Eastern States. 231 



ever found in the eastern portion. Taking this as an estuary 

 formation, it is evident that it is incomplete ; that we cannot 

 point out the deep-water accumulations of the central portion 

 of the estuary, with its borders of shore deposits. "We do find, 

 however, abundant indications that the beds to the westward 

 are shore deposits, which change imperceptibly into the deeper 

 water formation to the eastward. 



In the Y alley of the Connecticut, the fact that foot-prints 

 occur only along the eastern side of the Triassic area, was no- 

 ticed by Prof. Hitchcock, who gives this as one of his reasons 

 for dividing the red sandstone of that valley into two sepa- 

 rate formations.* This fact is brought out on plate II of the 

 above report, where it will be seen that all the foot-prints that 

 have been discovered occur in the eastern portion of the forma- 

 tion. With these f oot-prints,rain-drop impressions and sun-cracks 

 are abundant, proving that the eastern border of this area was 

 the low muddy shore of the estuary in which these rocks were 

 accumulated. Hitchcock states f that "all along the west 

 side of the valley, even to Long Island Sound, we find a coarse, 

 thick-bedded sandstone * * * * It is rare to find inter - 

 stratified shales or any other rock in this sandstone." We 

 thus find that the Triassic area in the Connecticut Yalley, like 

 that in New Jersey, is an incomplete estuary deposit, the east- 

 ern shore of which is well-defined, while the beds along the 

 western border indicate deeper water conditions. 



In search of further information in this connection, we will 

 pass on to the consideration of the 



Variegated Conglomerate. 



The name of tlie Yariegated Calcareous Conglomerate was 

 given by H, D. Rogers to a coarse conglomerate which occurs 

 at a number of localities along the western border of the Trias- 

 sic area in New Jersey. This rock is for the most part a 

 peculiar coarse thick-bedded conglomerate, resting conforma- 

 bly upon the shales and sandstones beneath. The junction of 



*Ichnology of Mass., p, 19. tlchnology of Mass., p. 10. 



