ways brought about a search for the article in question, 
but in no instance could any trace of it be brought to light. 
THE CHEMUNG PERIOD. 
This period, which is the next, is also the latest geo- 
logical formation occurring in our county. On the tops of 
the highest hills, immediately overlying the Genesee Slate, 
will be found some sandstone flags interspersed with shale. 
These are the lower layers of the Chemung Period. 
There are several sandstone layers, which are sepa- 
rated by a coarse shale. The sandstone, however, is usu- 
ally fine-grained, and breaks with a smooth even fracture. 
As the exposures of this formation in our county are 
few, and since it is quite difficult to reach them, situated 
as they are on the tops of our highest hills, we will find it 
easier as well as more satisfactory to study this group, and 
make our collections from exposures in Cortland county, 
just south of us. If, however, it is desirable to study the 
formation in our own county, exposures may be found in 
the northwestern part of Spafford and in the western part 
of Fabius. 
Fossils are more numerous than in the Genesee Slate, 
although not as profuse as in the Hamilton Beds. The 
only ones which we have secured from our own county, 
however, are some crinoid stems, some fucoides, and a 
strophomena, All of these were secured in Fabius. 
Some of the sandstones are used in making whetstones; 
the superior article sold by the Manlius firm is obtained 
from the Chemung Sandstones at Fabius. In Cortland 
county the flags are used to a considerable extent for side- 
walks. 
47 
