206 T\ REPORT oV PROGRESS. E. W. CLAYPOLE. 



per Hamilton shales with which I have met is near New 

 Bloom field, on the south side of Mahanoy ridge, and a few 

 hundred feet southeast from the mill owned by Mr. G. Bar- 

 nett. Here on the roadside the bed crops out in the bank 

 and contains several species of Penestella, and it may be 

 followed up the slope towards the ridge and exposed in 

 many places. The shale is so near the surface that cultiva- 

 tion of the ground has been abandoned, and the fossil har- 

 vest may be easily reaped. For the most part the bed con- 

 sists here of soft green shale, sometimes splitting with ease, 

 but often tough. Many parts of it are full of fossils, and 

 they are usually either bright rusty red or black from the 

 presence of iron. This renders them very conspicuous, and 

 their details are easily seen. In this place the beds are 

 about 20 feet thick, and stand almost vertical with a slight 

 overthrown dip of about 92° to the north. It is difficult to 

 establish distinct horizons in this thickness, but the upper 

 portions are crowded with Fenestella, often very beautifully 

 preserved, but soft and fragile and belonging to several 

 species. Near the middle it is characterized by abundance 

 of Vitulina pustulosa, Hall, and in the lower layers which 

 are more sandy by Tropidoleptus carhiatus, Hall. 



The Ha in ill on upper shales to Fenestella bed. 



Very smooth, fine, dark shales, black when damp. 



Greenish, soft, shaly bed with Styliolaftssurella. 



Thin, soft, rusty bed with Fenestella. 



Soft, sandy beds much marked with bright red oxide of 

 iron, and containing Brachiopods, Crinoids, Trilobites, &c. 



Soft, shaly beds with few fossils. 



Greenish, sandy shales. 



Hamilton sandstone of Mahanoy ridge. 



The Penestella shale is also well exposed on the land of 

 Mr. Toomey, senior, <>n Little Buffalo creek, and the whole 

 thickness of the upper shale can be traced down to t he sand 

 stone. The dip here is about 30 X. X. W. From this 

 point the fossiliferous beds may be followed without much 



