308 D. WHITE — POTTSVILLE SERIES ALONG NEW RIVER, W. VA. 



established horizon in which they have so far been characteristically 



or predominantly found. 



Stratigraphy of the Series. 



s;-= Dark Shale 



OarA Shale G 



BIsch Shale 

 Coal p 

 (Quinnimonf 



700 - =^=^=^e=^ 



GENERA L STA TEMENT. 



Before introducing any^paleontologic facts it 

 will be necessary to present their proper strati- 

 graphic setting. Accordingly, while it is not my 

 province to discuss the stratigraphic equivalents 

 of the individual beds in other Appalachian 

 sections, I give here two sections which show the 

 series as a whole, the position of the mined coals 

 and the beds from which plants were obtained. 



CONGLOMERATES OF PINEY CREEK SECTION. 



The first section (see figure 1), that along the 

 road up Piney creek, about two and one-half 

 miles below Princes station on the Chesapeake 

 and Ohio railroad (chosen because it is the type 

 section described by Professor Fontaine), is one 

 of the most complete along the river, though 

 badly weathered, and consequently appearing 

 much less arenaceous than other sections up the 

 walls of the gorge. 



The two conspicuous bench marks of the sec- 

 tions along this portion of the river are the mas- 

 sive conglomeratic sandstones at the top and 

 near the base of the declivity. The lower one, 

 frequently more or less calcareous, is a conspicu- 

 ous feature of the gorge of New river in the 

 vicinity of Mill creek, Quinnimont and Princes, 

 where enormous blocks, which at first sight re- 

 semble those so abundant in the neighborhood 

 of Nuttall and Fayette, have fallen into the 

 river. Although the calcareous red and green 

 shales extend nearly 200 feet higher up, this 

 lower conglomerate was made the base of the 

 " Conglomerate series " as originally defined by 

 Professor Fontaine. Though almost without 

 partings in the region of Piney creek, it loses 

 much of its massive conglomeratic individuality 

 in passing down the river, where it becomes hardly distinguishable from 





fled and Greer 



Hed and Green 

 Shales 



ffed snd Green 

 •Shales 



Red 3ndGr( 



/fed and Green 

 ShaJes 



Red a dCrec "^hglei 



Figure 1. — Piney Creek Section. 



