244 CENTRAL MINERAL REGION OF TEXAS. 



Further explorations have shown that the Primordial rocks, with their characteristic fauna, 

 are spread over considerable areas in the counties of Burnet, San Saba, and Llano, and that 

 they also extend into McOulloch, Mason, and Lampasas. * * * These rocks 



are based upon reddish feldspathic granite, * * * and they are succeeded by 

 even-bedded, hard, brittle, remarkably close-textured, pure limestone and alternating beds of 

 very compact dolomite, sometimes elegantly variegated with delicate flesh-colored cloudings. 

 This formation, some of the beds of which resemble litnographic limestone, has received the 

 name of Burnet marble, and may possibly represent the Birdseye limestone of the New 

 York series. The fossils heretofore discovered in it are chiefly Orthoceras and Straparollus, 

 but the few specimens we have found are so badly preserved that they are almost useless for 

 the purpose of identifying the age of the formation. 



The details of these important contributions can not be here discussed, but 

 they will be referred to from time time in other parts of this report. Dr. 

 Shumard gives general credit to his assistant. Dr. W. P. Riddell, who was 

 afterwards chemist of the Geological Survey under Mr. Buckley. 



In 1866 Mr. S. B. Buckley made what he termed a "preliminary report of 

 what was done by Dr. Francis Moore and myself in the Geological Survey of 

 the State." Mr. Hill* has given a very clear presentation of the personal 

 quarrels and other difficulties which interfered with the prosecution of the 

 survey and the publication of results. Very little of any scientific value was 

 added by Moore and Buckley to the previous knowledge of our district, al- 

 though several tabulated sections of the Potsdam were given.]- Buckley re- 

 garded the granites and associated schists as Azoic, but aside from this appar- 

 ent guess at the relations of a sub-Potsdam group, his geologic nomenclature 

 and all his stratigraphic and poleontologic statements are mere repetitions of 

 Dr. Shumard's announcements, with the addition of two unimportant sections 

 of the Potsdam from new localities. 



Much of the report is based on hearsay evidence, and there is reason to be- 

 lieve that some of the outcrops reported are incorrect. J 



Late in 1870 the Legislature of Texas authorized a second Geological Sur- 

 vey, but no field work was done until November, 1873, the State Geologist, 

 John W. Glenn, assuming charge March 3 1 st of the same year, and resigning 



* Op. cii, Bulletin United States Geological Survey, No. 45, p. 33, et seq. 



f A Preliminary Report of the Texas Geological Survey, together with Agricultural Obser- 

 vations, and an Outline of the Mineral Deposits of the State. By S. B. Buckley. Austin, 1866. 



\ There is in the possession of the present Geological Survey a manuscript report by Dr. 

 Buckley to Governor Throckmorton, without date or signature, but bearing evidence that it 

 was written about the year 186*7. In this some information about the mineral resources of 

 our district is given, but nothing of importance relating to the geology. This report was pre- 

 pared at a time when neither salary nor other appropriations were available. 



