CLINTON GROUP. 145 



have usually been considered as of vegetable origin, some of which have been fjgured and 

 described as marine plants, under the generic name of fucoids. One fact, however, which 

 is of some consequence as bearing upon the question of their origin, is that no two are 

 precisely alike ; and, taken as a whole, there is quite a diversity in the characters of an 

 assemblage of those upon the same surface, though there is a general resemblance among 

 them. 



In Warren, Herkimer county, near Cruger's mill, the following strata appear in the 

 ravine : 



1. Bluish gritty shale, 1 foot. 



2. Gray sandstone 2 .. 



3. Blue gritty shale. . 1 .. 



4. Gray sandstone 4 .. 



5-6. Gray pebbly beds, 2 . . 



7. Blue shale 6 inches. 



8-9. Gray, and, by weathering, brown and fine-grained sandstone, 6 inches. 



10. Iron gray sandstone disposed to weather, 6 inches. 



11. Thin-bedded sandstone 1 foot. 



12. Fine pebbly conglomerate, 6 

 13-14. Layers similar to 12 .. 2 



15. Brown soft sandstone 2 



16. Dark colored shale and bluish black sandstone, 2-3 feet 



Associated with the above is a layer or bed of red argillaceous iron ore, concealed in the 

 debris. 



This heterogeneous series rests upon the Oneida conglomerate, of which it seems at the east 

 to form a continuation. 



The most easterly point where this group can be examined to advantage, is near Van- 

 hornsville, on Otsquack creek, where an extensive exposure exists, and the rocks present 

 the same characters as at Cruger's mill. 



The following are some of the most important localities where the Clinton group may 

 be examined : 



In the town of Stark, the group is exposed on a small stream near Mr. Wicks. At this 

 place, the strata consist of, 1, a conglomerate ; 2, a green shale, which is succeeded by a 

 white laminated sandstone with a few pebbles. The rocks which succeed the latter are 

 green and grayish sandstones, and a shale. About one mile east, the shale is associated 

 with gypsum, in a small portion of which sulphate of strontian has been found. 



On Steel's creek, south of the village of Mohawk, is a cliff where the group attains its 

 maximum thickness, which is not far from seventy feet. The beds of iron ore may be 

 examined first between the east branch of Steel's creek, and the road leading to the Mo- 

 hawk river : this is the lower bed of ore. On another branch of the same creek, to the 

 west, the upper bed may be examined in place : it is an accretionary mass, made up of 

 oolitic ore, and rounded fragments of organic bodies, which are coated with the peroxide. 

 [Agricultural Report.] 19 



