6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BUFFALO MEETING. 



There were twelve persons who availed themselves of the opportunity during some 

 portion of the time. The presence of Mr G. K. Gilbert during the first three days 

 was appreciated by the others in attendance. The itinerary as given in the circular 

 was pretty closely followed for these days. The examination of the Iroquois shore- 

 line, along what is known as the " ridge road " in the northern part of Rochester, 

 and of a part of the old delta of the Genesee, furnished a good introduction to the 

 studies of the week. 



The visit to the " Pinnacle hills" in the southern edge of Rochester gave the 

 party a clearer idea than had been anticipated of the origin and the geological rela- 

 tions of these features which have been regarded as problematical. The evidences 

 that one portion of the range is a genuine moraine were perfectly conclusive. 

 Satisfactory indications were observed that the finer materials of other portions 

 had been selected and deposited by waters which were associated with the ice in 

 its work. There were clear topographic indications that static waters had occupied 

 a basin extending southward from this range of the Pinnacle hills. These features, 

 together with the curvature in the trend of the hills, the difference in the steep- 

 ness of the slopes, the occurrence at all altitudes of boulders of Niagara limestone, 

 some of which were distinctly glaciated, and the arrangement of the finer materials 

 with reference to the coarser, combine to sustain Professor Fairchild's conclusion 

 that here was the southern edge of a lobe of glacial ice which brought and deposited 

 the fundamental part of the range as a moraine, while the waters flowing from the 

 melting ice and the waters accumulated on the south distributed the finer material 

 in such a manner as to give the complex character for which the hills are noted. 

 The latter portion of the first day was spent in a trip around the head of Ironde- 

 quoit gorge observing the extensive terraces and kame deposits. 



The next morning the party took the train from Rochester to Victor. A walk 

 of six miles to Millers Corners was through an interesting and very diversified 

 kame area. In this district there is a large number of irregularly arranged hills 

 of very steep slopes, some of them with flattened summits, which rise to a tolerably 

 uniform level approaching 900 feet. They indicate a height of standing water, 

 but the party discussed whether the upper plain was to be regarded as one of 

 erosion or one of deposition. Through the kindness and generosity of Mr E. P. 

 Clapp the party was provided with transportation by carriages from West Rush to 

 Avon, spending the middle portion of the day in the region around East Avon. 

 Three localities were there visited where the ancient beaches and shore deposits 

 were exceedingly well preserved. The widespread occurrence of static waters at 

 this level, about 880 feet, was conclusively demonstrated by the well defined 

 shore features which are still retained. The party did not have an opportunity 

 of following these to their full extent, but Professor Fairchild believes they may 

 be traced to a connection with the Crittenden beach, and thus establish a com" 

 plete chain of evidence of the eastward extension of the Warren waters. 



Wednesday morning, August 19, a visit was made to the postglacial gorge of the 

 Genesee at Mount Morris, and then the cars were taken for Canaseraga. Between 

 Nunda and Canaserada two lines of railway traverse an outlet of a glacial lake 

 which once occupied the Nunda valley. The members of the party were much 

 impressed with the distinctness of this outlet as evinced by the steep walls of rock 

 forming the lateral boundaries of the gorge-like transverse valley, and they were 

 also interested in the well characterized drift deposits occurring at the head of the 

 gorge, aud revealing its preglacial origin. From Canaseraga the party walked to 



