370 H. L. FAIRCHILD — GLACIAL LAKES OP WESTERN NEW YORK. 



Inlet valley, continues southward, with the divide 12 miles from Ithaca, 

 at Spencer Summit, and leading over the col to the Susquehanna at 

 Waverly. The lesser branch is directed southeast, forming the valley 

 of Six Mile creek, with the divide ten miles from Ithaca, and leading 

 over to the Susquehanna at Owego. 



There are several streams debouching into the head of the main valley 

 (see figure 2, page 372). Cayuga Inlet creek has several tributaries from 

 the south, Buttermilk creek and Coy Glen brook joining within two miles 

 from Ithaca, Butternut (Enfield) creek two miles farther up the valley, 

 and the West Branch (Newfield) creek and Lick brook six miles from 

 Ithaca. Six Mile creek, draining the southeast valley, joins Inlet creek 

 in the city, two miles from the lake. Two important streams come in 

 from the east — Fall creek at the north of Cornell University grounds, and 

 Cascadilla through the University grounds and the city. Both of these 

 creeks have cut deep postglacial ravines. Many smaller streams have 

 cut similar ravines all along the lake-shores. Taughannock and Tru- 

 mansburgh creeks on the west and Ludlowville creek on the east are the 

 most important. 



DIVIDES AND CHANNELS. 



The moraine in the Cayuga Inlet valley extends from Newfield station, 

 on the Lehigh Valley railroad, south to Spencer Summit, a distance of 

 8 miles. The abrupt upper or south end of the moraine forms the 

 col. From this point southward is an open valley. The railroad finds 

 a low pass near the west wall of the valley, with a summit elevation of 

 1,065 feet, one-fourth of a mile north of Spencer Summit station. The 

 old stream channel, which once carried the overflow of the glacial waters 

 from the lake north of the divide, is, however, upon the extreme eastern 

 side of the valley, upon the farm of Mr A. Signor. The head of the out- 

 let is at the north border of the only primitive pine forest in the Cayuga 

 basin, at which point the morainic hills fall ofi" steeply to the deep valley 

 aorthward. The channel runs southeast through the pine forest about 

 80 rods, then some 40 rods through cleared fields (see figure 1, plate 22), 

 and then bends abruptly to the east, and in 20 rods reaches the Cattatonk 

 creek (see figure 2, plate 22), which enters the valley from the north 

 and at this point flows in a rock bed at the very base of the eastern rock- 

 wall of the valley. Just before reaching Cattatonk creek the channel 

 crosses the highway close to the house of Mr S. D. Turk. At this point 

 it is about 12 feet lower than at its head in the north edge of the forest. 

 This figure is upon the authority of Mr Signor, who relates that during 

 a flood of the creek in June, 1855, the waters set back up the extinct 

 channel until some water actually fell northward toward Cayuga lake, 

 the flood standing 12 feet high on the buildings by the highway. The 



