THE MESOZOIC ERA 

 CHAPTER XIV 



THE TRIASSIC PERIOD 

 Origin of Name, Subdivisions, etc. 



The name "Triassic" was given because of the threefold, 

 extensive development of the rocks of the system where first 

 studied in Germany. It so happens, however, that the German 

 Triassic strata are not typical of the system, as shown by later 

 studies in other parts of the world. 



The following table gives a general idea of the main sub- 

 divisions in North America and Europe: 



Pacific Coast 

 (Various formations) 



Atlantic Coast 



Germany 



Triassic f Upper Triassic series. 

 System Middle Triassic series. 

 [ Lower Inassic series. 



Newark series. 



Keuper series. 

 Muschelkalk series. 





Bunter series. 







Distribution and Character of the Rocks 



General Distribution. — The accompanying map (Fig. 119) 

 shows the surface distribution of both the Triassic and Jurassic 

 rocks in North America. The Atlantic Coast areas are wholly 

 Triassic ; the California areas are mostly Jurassic ; and the remain- 

 ing areas include both Triassic and Jurassic rocks which have 

 usually not been carefully separated. There is no reason whatever 

 to believe that Triassic rocks were ever deposited over Canada 

 except along the western coast and to a slight extent in Nova 

 Scotia. Likewise it is not known that Triassic rocks ever occurred 

 in the Mississippi Basin except immediately west of the Rocky 



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