186 GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS. 



jS t r a t i g r a p li i c a I Geology. 



The formations in this county consist of the Quaternary and limited 

 Coal Measure outcrops. 



Alluvium. — This includes the soil, the loose material and more recent 

 formations along the streams. 



Below Sullivan, the soil of the South fork of Kaskaskia bottoms is 

 very sandy, and along the stream there are many sandbars. The sandy 

 bottoms are often entirely covered with a growth of Ternonia fasciculata. 

 The principal trees and shrubs are spice bush, sassafras, white and red 

 elm, mulberry, red bud, grape vines, Virginia creeper, trumpet creeper, 

 cottonwood, sycamore, white maple, hickory, coral berry, ash, black 

 walnut, hazel and comus. 



Three miles south-east of Sullivan, on laud of George Purvis, on the 

 west bank of Kaskaskia, I discovered the head of a bison. It measured 

 across the forehead above the eyes twelve inches, the same between the 

 roots of the horns; the latter were short, thick and slightly curved. 

 The hill above the bank is probably twenty-five feet high ; the bank 

 about eight feet high, forming a narrow bench with the hill, of about ten 

 feet in width ; in this bench or terrace, a few feet from the top, the skull 

 and part of the cervical bones were found; the surrounding clay was 

 black rich loam. There were seveial trees two feet in diameter growing 

 on this terrace. 



Drift. — The drift is of great depth in this county. At Sullivan, which 

 is about as high ground as any other part of the county, a well was dug 

 210 feet deep without reaching any older formation. Mr. Patteeson, 

 who had charge of the digging, infoimed me that he passed through : 



Ft. 



1. Yellowish clay 15 



2. Green clay 10 



3. Whitish clay and some gravel G 



4. At GO feet from top struck a soft "white sandstone (probably a bowlder), then 21 feet alternations 



of sand, gravel, red clay, blue clay, etc.; at 81 feet struck a big bowlder; at 110 feet blue clay, 

 continuing to 210 feet : next 5 feet of quicksand — be could go no further. A strong vein of 

 water came in at 15 feet from the surface, also at 105 feet ; another at ISO feet, the last rising 

 to within 5 feet of the top, but subsided to 15 feet. It has a strong sulphate of iron taste. 



On Whitley's creek, on land of Daniel Brown, the following section 

 of drift was exposed : 



Ft. 



1. Soil at top, with a growth of white oak and black hickory ; below- brown clay, with a few small 



pebbles •- 8 



2. Mostly blue and brown clay, with pebbles 1G 



3. Black spongy stratum, apparently vegetable mold, with uo pebbles ; when struck gives a hollow 



sound 4 



4. Butf clay and brown sands, with talus from above 11 



Up a ravine a hundred yards distant is a fine spring of exceedingly 

 clear pleasant tasted water four feet in depth; bubbles of sulphuretted 



