50 THE EOCEXE DEPOSITS OE MARTLAXD 



the Xeocene deposits widely cover the Eocene, so that in the ahsence of 

 large streams satisfactory exposures of the strata are not foimd. 



MAETLAXD. 



In eastern Maryland the conditions of ontcrop hecome more favorahle, 

 although the Xeocene deposits still cover the higher portions of the 

 country while the Pleistocene beds often fill the valleys and cover the 

 lowlands adjacent to the Bay. Several fine sections are found in the 

 drainage basin of the Chester river in both Kent and Queen Anne's 

 counties, the width of outcropping beds broadening from a few miles at 

 the boundary to more than 10 miles in some places, and reaching quite 

 to the valley of the Sassafras river. On the western side of the Chesa- 

 peake the Eocene is much more extensively developed than upon the 

 eastern, and covers wide areas in Anne Arundel, Prince George's, and 

 Charles counties. 



In Anne Arundel county the best sections are found along the Severn 

 and South rivers and their tributaries. The highland forming the 

 neck below the lower Magothy and Severn rivers is largely composed of 

 Eocene beds, the most western exposure being found at Mount Misery, 

 near Eound Bay, Severn river, at an altitude of 100 feet, while eastward 

 it reaches to water-level. The higher portions of the area between the 

 Severn and South rivers are also largely made up of Eocene deposits, as 

 is also the land to the southwest of the latter stream and between it and 

 the valley of the Patuxent river. Throughout the southern portion of 

 the county the Eocene is, however, capped by the Xeocene and Pleisto- 

 cene formations along the central highland. 



Much of the western-central portion of Prince George's county is com- 

 posed of Eocene strata, many fine sections occurring along the western 

 branches of the Patuxent river. Along the Potomac the strata are 

 found in numerous bold bluffs, while broad exposures appear in the 

 valleys of many of the larger tributaries, notably in Piscataway and Mat- 

 tawoman creeks. Upper Marlboro, on the eastern side, and Fort "Wash- 

 ington on the western side of the county are among the best known 

 localities for Eocene fossils in the Middle Atlantic Slope. 



In Charles county the Eocene is confined to its western half, fine sec- 



