CRETACEOUS FORMATION. 97 



softened clay during the winter seasons. Several cuts 

 in the vicinity of -Ten Mile Cut have traversed these 

 beds of clay. One specimen from the Ten Mile Cut 

 has been examined by Dr. Eies, and classed among 

 the brick clays (No. A), though, as Dr. Kies remarks, 

 there is no reason why it should not find other uses as 

 well. 



In itJie near vicinity of this cut, on land formerly 

 occupied by Mr. J. C. Bean, occur three beds of clay 

 measuring each about five feet thickness. These have 

 been investigated by Dr. Ries under the Nos. 118, 115 

 and 100. The first of these, classed as fire clay, has 

 many points of interest, growing out of its dense 

 burning at lowtemperatlure, and the great difference 

 in temperature between the points of incipient fusion 

 and vitrification, suggesting its suitability fo^ use 

 as a glass-pot clay. The other two clays are classed 

 as pottery clays, and are perhaps representative of 

 one of the most widely distributed types of the clays 

 of this formation. 



PICKENS COUNTY. 



Near the line of the M. & O. road, in ithis county, 

 the clays are observed from the Tuscaloosa county 

 line to within nine miles of Columbus. In mode of 

 occurrence and in the character of the clay these beds 

 resemble 'those of Tuscaloosa, above mentioned. From 

 Roberts' Mill on Coal Fire Creek, Dr. Little has col- 

 lected a sample of white clay which 'has been analyzed 

 by Dr. Ries, No. 32 S. It is classed by him among the 

 stone-ware clays, burning to buff color, and is in 

 many respects similar 'to the Cribb's clay of Tusca- 

 loosa. West of Coal Fire Creek, and at a distance of 

 18 to 20 miles from Coluinbus, the massive reddish 

 clays show in the hills to a thickness of 40 to 50 feet.* 



•Xotes of Dr. George Little. 



