194 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



NOTICE AS TO THE EVIDENCES OF THE EXISTENCE OF AN 

 ANCIENT LAKE, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE FORMERLY 

 FILLED THE LIMESTONE VALLEY OF KISHACOQUILLAS, IN 

 MIFFLIN COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. By Richard C. Taylor, 

 F.G.S.,&c.&c. 



Several years have elapsed since my attentioDj whilst 

 crossing this valley during a deep snow, was attracted to 

 the singular arrangement of certain long horizontal and 

 parallel lines which appear on both its sides at the same 

 uniform height^ occupying an elevated and conspicuous 

 position on the mountain slopes, and extending as far as 

 the eye can reach towards both extremities. Subsequent 

 opportunities have enabled me to examine these remark- 

 able features at various points^ and the result is sufficiently 

 interesting to form a separate article in the Geological 

 Transactions. 



Kishacoquillas valley, geologically situated in the cen- 

 tre of a transition district of great interest, ranges from 

 N. W. to S. E., in a direction perfectly parallel to the 

 Alleghany mountain range, from which it is distant thirty 

 miles eastward. It is now in high cultivation, compri- 

 sing some of the best limestone land in the state. It va- 

 ries from three to five miles in breadth ; includes two 

 inferior sandstone ridges called Knobs, and is bounded on 

 the north by Path mountain and on the south by Jack's 

 mountain. In reality it is a deep trough between these 

 two lofty ridgesj having the outlet of its present drainage 

 nearly in its centre, through the gorge or defile of Jack's 

 ♦ mountain, from whence its waters pass into the Juniata 

 river at Lewistown. From this gorge Jack's mountain 

 stretches thirty or thirty-five miles to the N. E., and 

 twenty-seven miles to the S. W., where it is cut through 



