ii 



No. 136.] n 



fissures between, which have been fancifully compared to ruined 1 



lii 

 cities. 



This conglomerate rock is found on the summits of the Cats- 

 kills, and it is also known in a few places in Southwestern New- 

 York, where, in the absence of the Catskill group, it lies on the 

 top of the Chemung. Such are to be seen six miles south of 

 Olean, seven miles south of EUicottville, and near Wellsville, 

 where they are popularly called " rock-cities." They lie on high 

 points not far from the Pennsylvania line, and are simply remain- 

 ing spots of the conglomerate left far north of the main body of 

 the rock, by the wear of the elements, which, going on through 

 ages of ages, has worn away this massive stratum over great 

 extents of country. They are thus most -impressive monuments 

 to show the vastness of that wear or erosion, which has left 

 them in this insulated position, and which may in the course of 

 future centuries demolish them entirely. 



The fossils of this rock are very few, and are found only in the 

 finer sandy layers. Those shown in Fig. 44 were found near 

 Panama, Chautauqua county. 



This conglomerate is the highest and latest formed of all rocks 

 known within the limits of New-York. It is possible that a few 

 strata of later origin, belonging to the Carboniferous formation, 

 may exist on the Catskill summits, but probably none of any 'con- 

 siderable amount. The whole Carboniferous system, with its 

 valuable beds of coal, appears, in its present extent, to terminate 

 south of our State Line ; and it is in the highest degree impro- 

 bable that useful layers of coal can ever be found within our 

 borders. To obtain a knowledge of the Coal formations, we 

 must go into Pennsylvania. The following statement of the suc- 

 cession of its different rocks in that State is taken from the 

 Report of Prof Rogers. 



The great Conglomerate, of which we have spoken as exist- 

 ing in Southern New-York, attains a thickness of more than 

 2500 feet in Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna. It contains no 

 fossils, except fragments of plants. 



It is succeeded by what is called, in the Pennsylvania Report, 

 the Umbral Red shale, which in th^^t State is about 3000 feet 

 in its greatest thickness, though fay ^ess in some districts. It is 

 in Pennsylvania almost entirely composed qf soft red shales and 



