128 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ALBANY MEETING 



recommended the approval of an appropriation for this purpose. Re- 

 marks were made by different members of the Society, favorable to the 

 undertaking, and action was taken supporting the Council in setting 

 aside funds sufficient to issue this map with suitable accompanying de- 

 scriptive matter. The committee appointed to superintend this special 

 work consists of J. C. Branner, Bailey Willis, and W. B. Clark. 



TITLES AND ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS PRESENTED BEFORE THE AFTERNOON 

 SESSION AND DISCUSSIONS THEREON 



AGES OF THE APPALACHIAN PENEPLAINS • 



BY EUGENE WESLEY SHAW 



(AJ)stract) 



A review of the literature discussing the ages of the widely known peneplains 

 of the Appalachian province brings out the fact that notions concerning their 

 age are discordant, and an examination of published and unpublished data 

 leads to the inference that the peneplains are as young or younger than the 

 latest date so far assigned : For example, the so-called Cretaceous peneplain 

 is assigned by various writers to pre-Oretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, Upper 

 Cretaceous, and early Tertiary time. The best basis for dating surfaces re- 

 garded as remnants of this peneplain seems to be obtained (1) by correlating 

 them with unconformities or deposits in the coastal plain, and (2) by deter- 

 mining their extent and the amount of erosion to which they have been sub- 

 jected. The result seems to suggest that such surfaces are not much older 

 than Middle Tertiary, and that other Appalachian peneplains are still younger. 



Read in abstract from manuscript. 



Discussion 



Prof. Frank Leverett stated that he has noted the preservation of oyster 

 beds of Niobrara formation on the crest of the Mesabi iron range near Cloe- 

 raine, Minnesota, that appear to be the latest marine deposit of that region. 

 The deposits are evidently in situ with an associated soft, shaly material rest- 

 ing on the iron formation. If, as suggested by Mr. Shaw, erosion has broken 

 down the Appalachian region hundreds of feet below the level of any exposed 

 surface of Cretaceous age,^ it becomes important to account for preservation of 

 these beds in Minnesota. They do not seem to have had any superincumbent 

 beds removed. They are apparently beds foi-med near an old coastline. 



Author's reply to Professor Leverett : I had no intention of contending that 

 no area outside the Appalachian province had been exposed since Cretaceous 

 time without suffering reduction, though my belief is that such areas are rare 

 and small. I should think that the Mesabi Range Cretaceous, even though a 

 coast or stream deposit, might have been deeply buried under later Cretaceous 

 or Tertiary deposits for a considerable part of their history. 



Further remarks were made by Prof. E. A. Daly. 



