248 J. D. Dana on a Mohawk-valley Glacier. 
In Montgomery county, near Amsterdam (on the Mohawk), 
this able geologist noted scratches at various quarries and locali- 
ties on the Trenton limestone, which were nearly east-and-west 
in direction,—agreeing thus, as he remarks, with the course of 
the Mohawk valley. Again, in the same county, near Sprakers, 
on the north side of the Nose, the scratches conform, as he 
states, to the valley of the Mohawk. North-and-south scratches 
occur in the vicinity of this valley according to Vanuxem; but, 
at the places observed by him, they conform to one, or another, 
of the minor tributaries. In Oneida county, between Utica and 
New Hartford, there are north-and-south scratches on the Oneida 
conglomerate, which conform to the Sauquoit valley; and oD 
the west of the Oriskany creek, north of Hamilton College, the 
same system occurs, and corresponds with the Oriskany valley. 
Vanuxem concludes, from his observations, that the direction of 
the scratches corresponds with the direction of the valley in which they 
occur.” 
The question, whether these drift-scratches and other pheno 
mena are a result of glaciers, or icebergs, the writer has discu 
in his Geological Manual, and need not take up here. 
The absence of well characterized moraines from the most of 
the country will not be deemed remarkable by those who consider 
the length of time which has elapsed since the Glacial epoch 
ended, and the power of running water in wearing to or 
erly’ 
avalanches of ice and stones. The glacier of the Mohawk, 13 
order to make scratches about Cherry Valley, 1800 feet above the 
sea-level must have reached toa height of at least 2000 feet; 
and with this level, if the region had anything like its 
’ configuration, it would have buried a large part of the souther> 
lateau, while its northern border would have had no i 
New York State, except about the Adirondack Mountains, 
or 75 miles distant. 
Vanuxem observes, in concluding his remarks on this subject, 6a - 
of the scratches harmonizes with the fact that the . 
he su 
and extend over too great an extent of the same rock, to have been ioe 
ice i 
is oscillatory and rotatory. The direction also of the scratches is in accordance adds 
existing valleys, and hence ing with glaciers in both respects. 
with his usual discrimination, ““As matter of fact from actual 0 
the glacier-theory will have preference of the two, especially, should the origi 
ice be substituted, being a more general expression :—glaciers having their O'S 
. near the line where perp 1 snow ceases, whereas local ice embraces the same," 
well as all bodies of, solidified water, be the cause of the reduction of temperstar? 
what , Whether permanent or transien has given rise to it.” p. 24% — 
it may. 
