railroad proper, but adjoining beds are quarried and the formation seems 

 to extend extensively under the neighboring hill. The grade between 

 the two places is :>o feel to the mile; the width of the formation as in- 

 dicated by the outcrops is about two miles. 



2. Rocks of lln* same formation occur between Syracuse and James- 

 ville (line of J). J,, and W. li. EL); at Chittenango Falls forming the 

 lower strata of the gorge below the falls, at Perryville Falls in a sim- 

 ilar position, and in the towns of Smithtield and Stockbridge, Madison 

 County. The outcrop of the formation thus forms a narrow band ex- 

 tending across tin; two counties east and west for a short distance on 

 cither side of parallel 43° X. Lat. 



3. The rocks of the various cuts vary in appearance, texture, and 

 composition. While all are impure and earthy limestones, it may be 

 said in general that they lose their argillaceous and earthy character 

 more and more as we pass from the lower to the upper formations, and 

 correspondingly gain in calcareous matter and become more crystalline 

 in appearance. " It will be remembered that the rocks of the preceding 

 group were still more argillaceous while the succeeding Onondaga lime- 

 stone is more calcareous and crystalline. The true "Manlius water- 

 lime " is not cut by the railroad as the beds occur at a higher level than 

 the road-bed. They form two layers separated by about four feet of 

 black limestone, and are found in the uppermost part of the formation ; 

 they outcrop extensively in the hills east of the railroad between Fay- 

 etteville and Manlius. Large parts of this valuable formation are un- 

 developed and await the profitable employment of capital. Transpor- 

 tation is easy and the products are valuable for cement. Cavities in 

 the water-lime are often found lined with the beautiful sky-blue or 

 violet crystals of liuorite (Ca F 2 ). Small crystals of calcite (Ca CO 3 ) are 

 rarely found. At the beds one-half mile north of Manlius occurs 

 a curious form of calcareous matter, which in appearance and 

 structure resembles flint only it is much softer; it occurs in nodules or 

 bands in marly or shaly rocks. In texture it resembles the Solenhofen 

 Lithographic stone and is striated with delicate lines showing concre- 

 tionary origin; it almost entirely dissolves in hydrochloric acid. All 

 the rocks of this group effervesce briskly with acid but are only partially 

 soluble on account of the argillaceous matter they contain. The rocks 

 near the lime-kiln before alluded to show stratification cleavage much 

 less than in other cuts north or south, and appear more firm and dura- 

 ble ; in the other cuts the rocks easily break up in thin layers, often 

 separated by more or less earthy matter. 



4. In the beds nearest Manlius a few fossils were found yet as a 

 rule fossil remains are not common ; those found in the beds consist of 

 a few fragments of Brachiopods {Leptoecella imbricata) Coral and 

 plants. Tentaculites, which usually characterizes some of the rocks of 

 this period does not seem to occur here, yet they are found in Onondaga 

 County farther west. 



5. The limestones are used to quite an extent for fencing, the thin 

 flat fragments lying evenly and firmly in walls without the aid of 

 cement. To a limited extent the thicker blocks, more compact in struc- 

 ture, are used for rough building purposes, as for foundations and the 

 like. The upper beds before alluded to being hydraulic, or containing 

 argillaceous matter, burn to water-lime, so called because it will 

 harden in presence of water; it is consequently useful for cement to be 

 used for building purposes where there is exposure to the action of 

 water. Large quantities are burned near Manlius and shipped from 

 the station. Quick-lime is also burned from some of the limestone of 

 this formation. 



c. COKNTFEKOUS (ONONDAGA LIMESTONE.) 



1. Just north of Manlius station and about one-fourth of a mile 

 south, nearly opposite St. John's School, are beds of limestone contain- 



