1014 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The exposure continues a few rods up the stream, but the con- 

 tact with the Cashaqua shales is covered. The Middlesex 

 shales are also exposed in the bed of Tonawanda creek below 

 the milldam in the village. 



The Tannery brook is crossed by the Erie Railroad 1 mile west 

 of the village, and about 50 rods south of the railroad there 

 is a good exposure of the Cashaqua beds along the east branch 

 of the stream. 



Fossils are quite abundant here in the shales and in the 

 numerous concretions. 



The top of the Cashaqua shales and the lower part of the 

 Rhinestreet shales are exposed a few rods farther south. 



A thin layer of pyritiferous black slate near the contact line 

 contains Bactrites, Orthoceratites and a few other fossils 

 beautifully preserved in pyrite. 



At Sierks station, 4 miles south of Attica, the upper part of 

 the Rhinestreet shales is exposed in the bed and sides of Tona- 

 wanda creek and the alternating layers of light and dark shales 

 of the base of the Hatch division on the hillside and along the 

 railroad south of the depot. Some fossiliferous layers of light 

 shale occur near the top of the exposed section and a row of 

 large concretions a few feet above them. 



At Varysburg, 8 miles south of Attica, there is an exposure 

 of 25 feet of Gardeau flags and shales, with concretions and a 

 few fossils, in the banks of Tonawanda creek, below the mill- 

 dam in the village. With the exception of about 25 feet next 

 above this exposure, that are covered, the Gardeau section may 

 be seen in the bottom and sides of Stony brook, that comes 

 in from the east through a deep ravine, and joins Tonawanda 

 creek above the dam. This is a fine exposure, and it ends at 

 the base of the Portage sandstones. 



A small gully on the steep hillside west of Varysburg is 

 crossed by the Buffalo, Attica and Arcade Railroad, at the altitude 

 of 1240 feet A. T. Above the bridge about 250 feet of Gardeau 

 flags and shales are exposed. A thin sandstone about level 

 with the bridge contains fossil sponges. For 140 feet above 

 this layer the beds are generally shaly, but flags and thin sand 



