348 Foshay — Moraine of Kansan or Nebraskan Age. 



much older than the thin sheet of till that overlies it. This 

 later till is probably of Wisconsin age, though of course the 

 possibility that it may be of Illinoian age must not be over- 

 looked.* 



The advanced stage of decomposition of the granite bowlders 

 demonstrates the great antiquity of the moraine. The horizon 

 on Long Island containing the thoroughly rotted granites, 

 according to Fuller, is the Mannetto gravel which he places as 

 of "pre-Kansan" age.f It is true that Fuller finds that on 

 Long Island, as well as in eastern and southern Xew England, 

 the Manhasset (Illinoian) glacial invasion left the greatest de- 

 posits of drift, and the Eagle Mountain moraine may be of Illi- 

 noian age in its present form, though made up in considerable 

 part of materials of Nebraskan age. As it seems possible that 

 at some stage the Eagle Mountain moraine blocked the Wildcat 

 Valley at the crest of Jackson Falls, although its major portion 

 forms the southern end of the ridge dividing the Ellis and Wild- 

 cat valleys, it appears that the Ellis glacier was the most power- 

 ful, or else persisted the longest. Later persistence of the Ellis 

 glacier might perhaps be due to the much lower level of the 

 valley bottom. However so far as topography indicates, there 

 is more reason to call the Wildcat valley glaciated than 

 there is the Ellis, as the latter is not so wide as the Wildcat, 

 although Ellis valley heads in Pinkham JSTotch right on the 

 Hank of Mt. Washington itself. The position of the main 

 portion of the moraine, forming as it does the southerly con- 

 tinuation of the Wildcat-Eagle Mountain ridge, indicates quite 

 likely that it was a mesial moraine between the local Ellis and 

 Wildcat glaciers. 



Finally the very great difference in age between the moraine 

 and the overlying coat of Wisconsin till confirms Professor 

 Goldthwait's conclusion that the local glaciers of the Presiden- 

 tial Range existed before the last glaciation. 



Montclair, N. J., May 20, 1914. 



* Fuller, loc. cit., p. 150. 

 f Loc. cit. p. 85. 



