94 J. W. SPEXCEK — GEOGKAPHICAL EVOLUTION OF CUBA, 



Table of the Geological Succession i)t Cnba.* 



Systems. 



Formations and their INIovements. 



Modern 



Pleistocene 



Modern coral terraces ; elevation, 10 to 30 feet. 



Formation of coralline limestones ; submergence, 10 to 30 

 feet. 



Terraces: A. Lower series; elevation from 100 to 300 feet 

 or more. 

 B. Higher series, which may belong to the same 

 episode; elevation from 100 to 1,100 feet. 



Submergence during formation of terraces, 100 to 1 ,100 feet. 



Post-Zapata elevation, with the erosion of the coastal can- 

 yons and outlets of harbors, etcetera ; elevation, 100 to 200 

 feet or more in the mountains. 



Zapata formation (red loams and gravels) ; subsidence, 

 100 to 240 feet. 



Pre- Zapata depression, with the formation of baselevel 

 plains, 100 to 400 feet. 



Post-Matauzas elevation ; an epoch of enormous erosion ; 

 altitude from evidence within the insular mass of Cuba, 

 over 7.500 feet ; general physical disturbances slight, but 

 with the mountains elevated higher than in the earlier 

 period. 



Pliocene. 



Matanzas formation (marly limestones) ; subsidence, 200 

 to 400 feet. 



The Pliocene or post-!Miocene elevation ; an epoch of enor- 

 mous erosion ; altitude did not equal that of the post- 

 Matanzas, which last, during the erosion of the ^latanzas 

 limestones from the post-Miocene valley, removeil the 

 Matanzas formation to below sealevel ; general physical 

 disturbances during early stage, with elevation of moun- 

 tains. 



Miocene and Eocene. -J 



Series separated only in some localities; materials mostly 

 limestones and marls, but sands and conglomerates occur 

 in part of the Miocene; subsidence during formation of 

 limestones from 750 to 2,;)00 feet, with intervening oscil- 

 lations. In or before the Miocene period there appears 

 to have been local depressions to abysmal depths during 

 the accunuilation of radiolarian earths. 



Post-Cretaceous elevation ; general altitude moderate ; 

 physical disturbances general, with formations of low 

 mountain chains. 



Cretaceous. 



The formation composed of sandstones and limestones; 

 subsidence widespread. 



Pre-Cretaceous (?) elevation and low plains. 



Pre-Cretaceous (?) igneous rocks and metamorphic forma- 

 tions. 



♦Altitudes refer to elevation above or depressions below sealevel. 

 September, 1894. 



