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University of California Publications in Geology [Vol. 12 



INTRODUCTION 



The first investigation of the Santa Ynez River district was under- 

 taken to obtain, if possible, some palaeontologic or stratigraphic 

 evidence as to the age of the Franciscan rocks which are exposed in 

 this region. AVith this end in view, the writer, together with Mr. N. 

 L. Taliaferro, spent two weeks during June, 1914, in the vicinity of 

 Redrock Caiion, which is a tributary of the Santa Ynez River in the 

 western part of the district. Unfortunately, the Franciscan series in 

 this region, as in other places, proved to be barren of any evidence 

 which would indicate its age. Nevertheless, the country afforded some 

 interesting problems, the study of which has given some information 

 that is a contribution to the stratigraphy of California. An important 

 structural question presented was the cause for the difference in direc- 

 tion between the Santa Ynez ^Mountains and the San Rafael ]\Iountains. 

 To investigate this two more trips were made, one in the summer of 

 1915 with Dr. E. F. Davis and the other in 1916 with Mr. K. H. 

 Schilling. To both of these gentlemen, the writer is under obligations 

 for the use of their notes. 



Acknowledgment is made to Professor A. C. Lawson, under whose 

 supervision this work was carried on, for valuable criticism and 

 advice. The writer also takes this opportunity to thank the U. S. 

 forest rangers of the Santa Barbara National Forest for their uniform 

 courtesy. 



LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY 



The area to be described lies in the southern part of Santa Barbara 

 County, California, and extends fifteen miles north from the Santa 

 Barbara Channel with a breadth of about eighteen miles, forming a 

 rectangular area of approximately 270 square miles. The northern 

 part, where mo.st of the work was done, is in the southern portion of 

 the Santa Ynez quadrangle, and the remainder is covered by the Santa 

 Barbara and Goleta Special maps. The term "Santa Ynez River 

 district" as used in this paper includes the southern half of Santa 

 Barbara County. It also embraces a portion of the Santa Ynez 

 Mountains and the southern slope of the San Rafael Mountains, the 

 latter being a local division of the California Coa.st Ranges. 



