GEOLOGY OF THE REMSEN QUADRANGLE 



elusion is based upon the direction of glacial striations and upon the 

 distribution of glacial deposits and topographic forms. 



As regards rock striations the writer has but a single observation 

 to record and that is an unsatisfactory one. The striations occur 

 upon the syenite along Big Woodhull creek, 2 miles northeast of 

 Forestport. They bear approximately s. 30 e. 1 The general 

 northwest-southeast distribution of the moraine deposits [see 

 below] agree closely with the reading above given. Also the 

 abundant shale fragments in the till to the north and east of Rem- 

 sen and Prospect were very largely derived from the shale around 

 Starr hill and this implies a general southeastward movement of 

 the ice. Down the Mohawk valley the striations and topographic 

 forms show an east and west arrangement. Along the northwest 

 border of the Adirondacks, as near Clayton, the writer has seen 

 many striations pointing southwestward. All these facts are 

 clearly in harmony with the idea of Chamberlin above quoted. 

 Since the Trenton Falls district is situated along the southwestern 

 side of the Adirondacks a southeastward movement would be 

 expected such as the records suggest. At the hight of glaciation 

 however this ice current must have given way largely to the more 

 general southward current across the Adirondacks. The dis- 

 tribution of erratics [see below] over the Remsen quadrangle as 

 well as for many miles southward confirms this belief. 



Glacial till 



Glacial till or ground moraine material is exposed at many places 

 throughout the district. Over the Precambric area the exposures 

 are not so common and the material is characteristically light 

 colored, very sandy and full of coarse gravel as may well be seen 

 along the State road west of Reeds Mill. The rock fragments in 

 this till represent various Adirondack rock formations. The best 

 exposures are found along the principal stream courses, as for 

 example in the vicinity of Enos. Over the Paleozoic area the till 

 varies much in character chiefly according to the kind of underlying 

 rock formation. Where the till rests upon the Utica shale it is 

 always dark colored and full of black shale fragments. Where 

 the limestone is the country rock the till is lighter colored and full 

 of limestone (usually coarse crystalline) fragments. Near the 

 shale contact and for some distance away from it the color and com- 

 position of the till is generally intermediate, containing both shale 



1 More recently the writer has observed good striae on the syenite near Hawkinsville, 

 just off the map to the northwest. Thesa striae also baar abDut s. 30 e. 



