23 



habitants ; in other places exhibiting a hard and semi-crystalline 

 structure, and having the compactness of some forms of secondary- 

 limestone. The lower portion of the cliff, having less cohesion than 

 the rest, has been scooped out by the action of water, so as to give 

 it occasionally an impending attitude. 



Above the town, the stratum of fragmentary rock becomes much 

 thinner, being now reduced to about ten or twelve feet. A stratum 

 of yellowish argillaceous clay, abounding in Artemis acetabulum, 

 Mactras, and other large shells, lies immediately beneath the rock ; 

 and lower still, appears the stratum of bluish clay, filled with 

 Nucula Limatula, several species of Fusus, and various other 

 fossils. 



A narrow layer of iron ore extends along the" cliff, with occasional 

 interruptions, at a small distance above the fossiliferous strata. 



This fragmentary rock continues in a narrow band, with some 

 interruptions, for about a mile and a half above York. Beyond 

 this point it is met with chiefly in detached masses. Extensive 

 beds of shells, similar to those which appear at York, come to view 

 in the vicinity of Bellefield, and line the shore for a distance of about 

 three miles. These beds rest on the usual stratum of sandy clay, 

 and are in some places, as already described, covered by a stratum 

 of the same substance. At a still remoter point, about six miles above 

 York, on Jones' plantation, a porous rocky mass occurs, overlying 

 the stratum of shells in a thin and interrupted layer. Though very 

 similar in appearance to the fragmentary mass before described, 

 and evidently at one time composed of portions of shells, it is almost 

 devoid of any trace of carbonate of lime. It appears to consist of 

 silex, slightly tinged with oxide of iron ; approaching in its porous 

 character and harsh gritty texture, to the nature of the burr stone 

 of France. Associated with this, is a more compact rock, contain- 

 ing some carbonate of lime, with much silex, and exhibiting very 

 perfect casts and impressions of Pectens, Cardium, &c. Over these 

 strata is the usual layer of ironstone, and the general aspect of the 

 upper beds is somewhat ferruginous. 



it is interesting to remark, that with some interruptions, a frag- 

 mentary deposite, similar to that observed at York, extends to the 

 lower extremity of the peninsula. At Pocosin, a flat swampy 

 country, which is often inundated by the tides, this deposite is uni- 

 formly met with by digging a few feet below the surface. Pectun- 

 culus, Pecten, Ostrea, as well as numerous small shells, occur 



