BULLETIN OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 

 Vol. 7, pp. 67-94 December 12, 1895 



GEOGRAPHICAL EVOLUTION OF CUBA 



BY J. W. SPENCER, PH. D., F. G. S. 



{Read before the Society December 27 ^ 189^) 

 CONTENTS 



Page 



Introduction 68 



General topography 68 



Hydrography off the coast 70 



Geologic basement 71 



Metamorphic formations 71 



Igneous formations 72 



Cretaceous history 72 



Local geologic characteristics 72 



In general 72 



Trinidad region 72 



Cienfuegos region 73 



Havana region 74 



Geographic features of the Cretaceous period , 75 



Eocene and Miocene history 75 



Local geologic characteristics 75 



In general 75 



Matanzas region 76 



Havana region 78 



Sagua le Grande region 78 



Cienfuegos region 79 



Trinidad region 79 



Geographic features of the Tertiary period 80 



Pliocene history 81 



Matanzas formation 81 



Geographic features of the Pliocene period 84 



Pleistocene history 84 



Zapata formation 84 



Geographic features of the Pleistocene period. ... 86 



Terraces, sea-caves and rifts 87 



North coast of the island 87 



South coast of the island 88 



Modern coralline limestones or reefs 89 



Some erosion features 89 



X— Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., Vol. 7, 1895. (67) 



