20. WHEATFIELD TOWNSHIP. F\ 393 



At a short distance along the west road are found some 

 fossiliferons beds containing brachiopods. (b on map.) 



The occurrence of the pebbles above mentioned is a note- 

 worthy fact as apparently another indication of shallow 

 water in the district at the time of their formation. That 

 such shallow water or even dry land existed during the de- 

 position of the Chemung rocks can scarcely be doubted by 

 any one who has worked among these beds in Perry county. 

 The great abundance of vegetable relics — plantrags as they 

 may well be called — indicates this. In many places the sur- 

 face of the sandstones and sandy shales is blackened by un- 

 distinguishable traces of vegetable life. Over acres and 

 square miles extend these carbonaceous layers one above 

 another, affording proof of abundant vegetation. That this 

 vegetation was terrestrial may be inferred from the fact that 

 seaweeds are not known to leave similar remains, and we 

 may conclude that the land was at no great distance, because 

 organism so small and frail could not be carried far out to 

 sea without becoming disintegrated and decomposed. Much 

 more minute and detailed study of the rocks must, however, 

 be made before the position and extent of this land or shal- 

 low water can be determined. See Fig. 2, PI. XLYI. 



The Kingsmill sandstone. VIII-IX. 



This interesting fossiliferous bed enters the township from 

 Watts about half a mile north of the head of Duncan's is- 

 land. It is not well exposed for some distance from the 

 Juniata, but on reaching the high ground it may be readily 

 recognized as a low stony ridge running about E. N. E. 

 and W. S. W. 



Near Kingsmill where one of its best exposures occur, 

 both northeast and southwest of the mill, the bed rock is 

 not seen, but abundant material for its examination is 

 scattered over the fields. It is richly fossiliferous and softer 

 than in many other places. The masses exposed are honey- 

 combed with the casts of fossils which have been removed 

 by solution. Some of these exposures lie in Penn township. 



Farther southwest, at the next cross-road, (Linton's hill) 

 is an equally rich fossiliferous exposure of the same sand- 



