Terraced Valleys. 



135 



basins are in some places curiously terraced ; the different terraces 

 being on a level on opposite sides of the basin. If we start from the 

 edge of the stream at low water, and ascend a bank of 10 to 15 feet 

 high, we shall come upon an alluvial meadow, which is frequently 

 overflowed ; and is consequently receiving yearly deposits. This 

 may be regarded as the lowest terrace. Crossing this, we ascend 

 the escarpment of a second terrace, 30 or 40 feet in height, which 

 may be seen at intervals on the same level on all sides of the meadow. 

 This second terrace is rarely very wide in any place, and seems to 

 be only the remnants of a meadow, once much more extensive, which 

 has been worn away. Ascending from this second terrace, 40 or 50 

 feet, up another escarpment, we reach the plain that forms the bottom 

 of the great valley of the Connecticut. This constitutes the upper 

 terrace. 



The above description applies to the principal terraces existing on 

 Westfield river, one or two miles west of the village, as well as to those 

 one or two miles east ; and to those in Deerfield meadows, as well 

 as to those on the same river in the upper part of Charlemont. 

 Smaller ones occur farther up the stream on Westfield river ; also on 

 one of its tributaries ; and on Green Rriver, a tributary of the Deer- 

 field. I have also noticed imperfect terraces on Blackstone River, 

 below Worcester. One quite distinct may be seen in West Brook- 

 field, on a small branch of the Chickopee, which passes through that 

 place. In short, terraces more or less distinct, exist on almost every 

 stream of much size in the State, wherever the banks are low enough 

 to admit of alluvial flats. 



The banks of the Connecticut are less distinctly terraced in Mass- 

 achusetts, than the smaller streams that have been noticed. Yet they 

 exist on that river in several places within the limits of the appended 

 geological map. In Vernon, a few miles south of Brattleborough 

 village, two quite distinct terraces may be seen on the west bank of 

 the river. Between Turner's Falls and the mouth of Miller's river, 

 the same number appear, though less distinct. In passing southerly, 

 we find the same number on the west bank, in Pine Nook meadows, 

 in the southeast part of Deerfield. In the south part of Sunderland, 

 and north part of Hadley, on the east side of the river, two terraces 

 appear, although they are at a greater distance than usual from the 

 river. Traces of them appear also, in Springfield and West Spring- 

 field. In most of these cases they are discoverable only on one side 

 of the river. 



