240 University of California Publications in Geology [Vol. 7 



SUMMAEY STATEMENT OF VARIOUS OTHER CONCLUSIONS 



No natural formations or groups of sediments exist which 

 correspond to the littoral faunal stages recognized in the Mon- 

 terey series. Any system of nomenclature which gives both 

 faunal-temporal and formational significance to its terms (except 

 for the series as a whole) is fallacious and pregnant of confusion 

 and misconceptions. 



Faunal zones and stages should have faunal names, as 

 "Agasoma zone," stage of I 1 , ocoyana, etc., and not formational 

 names (Vaqueros fauna, etc., as recently proposed by J. P. 

 Smith). Names primarily based on lithologic distinctions (depo- 

 sitional facies) have only very local significance as "formations." 

 The term "Vaqueros sandstone" has only a facies value and not 

 a formational one even in the Salinas valley region, where it was 

 originally applied ; Temblor as applied in the Kern River region 

 seems quite surely equivalent to at least part of the "Monterey 

 shale" on the west side of the valley. For economic purposes, 

 or purposes of local mapping, and of structural geology it is 

 often important to map local depositional facies — why not call 

 them such? In the Salinas valley region in studying the water 

 resources it may be important to separate the sands from the 

 shales. Why not call them "Sandstone facies," "bituminous 

 shale facies"? 



Similarly in the oil fields the distinction is important. In 

 the Santa Maria fields the petroleum bearing "basal sandstones" 

 would be more expressive to geologists and oil men alike than 

 "Vaqueros formation." 



Locality names are not objectionable — though not always nec- 

 essary — such as Modelo sandstone, Puente sandstone, Puente 

 shale, — to apply to locally developed depositional divisions — 

 provided they are presented in their true value. 



Names like "Temblor beds" (in the sense of a supposed lower 

 Miocene formation and faunal stage below the "Miocene shale" 

 formation and zone), Vaqueros formation or sandstone (mean- 

 ing the same), Monterey shale (in the sense of a supposed middle 

 Miocene formation and faunal stage above the Vaqueros), Modelo 

 formation (for the artificial group of Bull. 309, on the north side 



