750 F. B. TAYLOR RICHMOKD-GREAT BARRINGTON BOWLDER TRAINS 



runs southward along the western flank of the Tatonic Eange to the base 

 of Cunningham Hill, 2 miles northwest of State Line station on the 

 Boston and Albany Eailroad. In all probability it continues south and 

 southeast through the gap at State Line, and thence southward toward 

 Alford and Great Barrington, for in the valley of Seekonk Brook, in the 

 vicinity of Alford, which is 5 miles northwest of Great Barrington, 

 bowlders of this same amphibolite schist occur in considerable numbers, 

 and their number increases southeastward toward Great Barrington, 

 where they seem to have been concentrated by the ice movement. This 

 interval of about 8 miles between the two parts of the train as now re- 

 ported has not been examined in detail. From the few observations 

 made, it is not believed that the bowlders are so numerous in it nor the 

 train so well defined. For some distance north of Alford comparatively 

 few were found in the valley, but the hills were not examined. 



The form and condition of these bowlders, both in that part of the 

 train near Fryes Hill and near Great Barrington, is strongly contrasted 

 with those of the Eichmond train. Every bowlder found in this south- 

 ward train is well rounded and shows marked effects of weathering. Not 

 only is the surface discolored by oxidation to a grayish green in place of 

 the clear, dark green of the fresh, angular surfaces of the Eichmond 

 blocks, but some of the effects of weathering have penetrated beneath the 

 surface a quarter to half an inch, and deeper in diminishing strength. 

 Among these bowlders none of great size were found, the largest being 

 about 4 feet in diameter, but a great many were found with diameters of 

 iy2 to 2 feet. In certain places in the valley of the Seekonk below 

 Alford and among the drumlins back of Great Barrington, as many as 

 thirty or forty of these bowlders were found built into 200 feet of ordi- 

 nary stone wall along the roadside, and there still remains a sprinkling 

 of them in the fields. There are also in the same walls rounded and 

 weathered bowlders of several other varieties of rock. Among these is 

 one which must be carefully distinguished from the amphibolite on ac- 

 count of its close resemblance in color and hardness. This is the green 

 Eensselaer grit. It is many times more common, but is readily distin- 

 guished by characteristics of a freshly fractured surface. So far as ob- 

 served, the bowlders along the base of the hill south of Queechy Lake are 

 mostly smaller and not so many as near Great Barrington, but they are 

 of the same rounded, weathered character, entirely unlike the angular 

 blocks of the Eichmond train. 



The bowlders near Great Barrington are 16 to 17 miles from Fryes 

 Hill and nearly straight south of it. On account of this distance and 

 direction, there is, perhaps, some reason to doubt whether they were de- 



