316 F a . REPORT OF PROGRESS. E. W. CLAYPOLE. 



The Catsklll group, {No. IX.) 



The whole of the open portion of Fishing Creek valley is 

 underlaid with the red shales and sandstones of the Cats- 

 kill group. The latter extend far up the southern slope of 

 the Cove mountain, whereon they form a terrace, continuous 

 with that which under variousnames stretches from Dun- 

 canaon round the Horse Shoe, where it is called Pine Hill. 



As in the rest of the county this group of rocks supplies a 

 fertile soil with a rolling surface. No very good exposures 

 have been met with, much of the ground on the slope of 

 Cove mountain being strewn with the wreckage of the over- 

 lying Pocono sandstone. 



These sandstones and shales retain in Fishing creek the 

 full thickness assigned to them in the middle of the county — 

 about 6000 feet. Their beds are nearly vertical, diminish- 

 ing in steepness to the northward where they pass under 

 the Pocono sandstone. 



Several attempts have been made to discover ore in the 

 rocks of this group in Rye township but hitherto with- 

 out success. Specimens have been frequently picked up of 

 specular red hematite of excellent quality but no vein of it 

 has been opened. It is impossible to say what success may 

 attend further efforts in this township ; but experience in 

 other townships does not encourage us to expect much ; 

 the seams not exceeding a few inches in thickness. 



The Trap-dykes in Rye township. 



Ironstone ridge, or Great Horseshoe dyke. 



The Great Horseshoe dyke passes through Rye town- 

 ship almost from north to south where it is well known as 

 the Ironstone ridge, and forms a watershed across the valley. 

 Coming down from nearly the top of the Cove mountain 

 Its track may be followed by tin 1 characteristic belt of yel- 

 low soi] and heavy rounded rusty bowlders through the 

 woods, almost along the road, ( hence called the Ridge road,) 

 to the middle of the valley. The land on both sides of it 

 is so encumbered with wreckage from the dyke that it is 

 Lefl untilled and uncleared. But it is at the crossing of the 



