GLACIAL GEOLOGY OF THE SARATOGA QUADRANGLE 23 



lobes, in order from west to east, is a low swampy area and may 

 be due to the gathering of debris around an ice block. 



On the northern border of the moraine, in its western half, there 

 is a sandy tract described below, under head of Lake Corinth de- 

 posits. The eastern half is bordered on the north by a stony till, 

 except that the terminal eastern lobe is bordered by a stretch of 

 sand which is terracelike in its relation to the river and will be 

 considered later in this report. 



The width of the moraine, measured along the line of the crest 

 of the western lobe, is about I mile; the average width may be 

 stated at one-half of a mile. The elevation of the moraine above 

 the general level of the areas bordering it is nowhere above 40 feet, 

 as indicated by the contour lines of the sheet. To the observer the 

 elevation is best appreciated by noting the steep front of that por- 

 tion of the moraine which lies parallel with the road that crosses 

 the east branch of Sturdevant creek. This front, however, repre- 

 sents a section of the moraine due to stream erosion. The coarse 

 gravel, cobbles and boulders that are thickly strewn over the level 

 space between the road and the base of the steep slope , are proof 

 of the work of strong currents. Back of the front the unmodified 

 surface of the moraine shows in its characteristic features. There 

 are in this locality a number of kettle holes, one of which contains 

 standing water. 



The materials of the moraine differ considerably as between the 

 western portion and that farther to the east. The former is made 

 up of sand and gravel together with many cobbles and boulders. 

 In the eastern extension, comprising that portion of the moraine 

 which is bordered on the north by till, there is a less proportion of 

 the finer materials and the formation takes on the characters of a 

 boulder moraine. In this portion, while the hills are lower, the 

 surface becomes exceedingly rough and stony. In general the 

 boulders have the appearance of being less worn than the ordinary 

 boulders of the till, some being marked by considerable angularity 

 of form. The largest one observed measured about 9 feet in height 

 and 55 feet in circumference. On one side a joint face was dis- 

 cernible. It could scarcely be. questioned, however, that these frag- 

 ments are erratics, since they are heaped together in a manner 

 which shows the agency of ice transportation. The portion of the 

 belt showing boulder moraine features comes to an end at Stony 

 Brook and is there succeeded by hills of sand and gravel of typical 

 kame features. The moraine ends somewhat abruptly in a steep 



