New York State Museum 



EECENT GEOLOGIC WORK IN FRANKLIN AND ST LAW- 

 RENCE COUNTIES 



INTRODUCTION 



The work done in Franklin county, since the preliminary report 

 on the geology of that county published in the 18th annual report 

 of the sftate geologist was written, has had for its main object the 

 determination of the age and relationships of the augite syenite. 

 As the tract of which Tupper lake is the center seemed to offer 

 the most promise for this investigation, the work has been mainly 

 in that vicinity. The establishment of the limits of this syenite 

 area has necessitated carrying the work over into the eastern tier 

 of townships in St Lawrence county. In addition, certain tracts 

 in Franklin county, which had been left unvisited during the 

 previous, hurried work, have received attention. 



TOPOGRAPHY 



The following notes on the topography are supplementary to 

 the general discussion of that matter in thc^ 18th annual report. 



What may be called the " lake belt " is a most impressive fea- 

 ture in the Adirondack region. While ponds and small lakes 

 abound throughout the district, they are much more numerous 

 in this belt than elsewhere, and it has other peculiar topographic 

 feaituTes. It may be said to extend from Loon lake in a south 

 southwest direction to First lake of the Fulton chain. It is 

 widest, and contains water bodies most numerously in southern 

 Franklin county. It is sharply marked off from the district just 

 east, the district of the high Adirondack peaks, by its low relief. 

 Rock ridges are abundant but rise very little above the general 

 valley levels, one or twio hundred feet in general as a maximum. 

 Hills of sufficient elevation to be locally dubbed mountains and to 

 receive names are exceptional, though such do occur; even then, 

 they will not bear comparison with the peaks to the east, where 

 such are the rule. Wide tracts occur of very insignificant relief 

 vet with abundant rock ridges. 



The contrast with the district on the weist is less striking, 

 though of the same kind; there is much more diversity of surface 



