Jrom the melting of the Quaternary Glacier. 91 
consist almost uniformly of fine sand or sandy loam or clay, 
like the deposits beneath. Had the plains resulted through 
the removal of overlying deposits, that is, the grading down of 
higher terraces to the level of the lower, the action of the 
abrading waters would have generally left behind much gravel 
over the surface. Nothing like this ordinarily exists over the 
the upper terraces, or within 50 feet of the highest terrace-level, 
partly as a consequence of the increased velocity of the river 
When the flood was approaching its maximum height, bat to 
Some extent, also, as a result of abrasion, which has resulted 
'n depressing the surface and occasionally in making what 
look like broad channel-ways over it. It is of importance to 
note that such abrasions over the terraces by the waters flowing 
ove them are wholly different in kind from the channelling 
and gouging done subsequently after the flood had subsided. 
9. The era of the glacier over the Connecticut Valley and of its 
melting continuous.—Along the southern glacier limit in North 
merica west of New England, interglacial epochs subordi- 
hate to the general Glacial. period have been recognized. In 
the Connecticut Valley region, however, I have found nothing 
to indicate any such variations in the ice. The southern end 
of the valley, on the Sound, was at least 30 miles north of the 
Within that of thick ice; and this is probably the reason for 
the absence of such evidence. While the facts about the 
ite Mountains prove the ice to have had a thickness of at 
least 5,000 feet, the position of the New Haven region on the 
und favors the idea of a thickness not less than 750 feet. 
The situation of the valley with reference to the glacier, and 
the hilly features of the adjoining country hence explain wh) 
the valley deposits should make a continuous series from the 
lowest to the highest,* 
