GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



275 



MEMOIR OF A SECTION PASSING THROUGH THE BITUMI- 

 NOUS COAL FIELD NEAR RICHMOND, IN VIRGINIA. By 

 Richard C. Taylor, F.G.S., &c. 



In the following pages I propose to lay before the Geo- 

 ological Society of Pennsylvania the result of a recent 

 excursion, in company with my friend Mr Clemson, for 

 the purpose of obtaining, by personal observation, some 

 satisfactory information as to the geological position and 

 relations of the bituminous coal field near Richmond. 



Being somewhat limited as to the time necessary for 

 the entire examination into its details, I offer the follow- 

 ing memoir as the result of a general reconnoissance, 

 rather than as an elaborate investigation of this singularly 

 interesting coal region. At the same time I am led to 

 hope that some additional mineralogical details and analy- 

 ses of the coals and other mineral substances of this 

 neighbourhood will be laid before the Society by the gen- 

 tleman to whom I have referred. 



Our notice of this district will be necessarily introduced 

 by a rapid sketch of the geological character of this part 

 of Virginia on either side the coal region. For the min- 

 eralogical details of these ancient rocks the writer is also 

 largely indebted to the able authority before named. 



Between Fredericksburg on the Rappahannoc river, 

 and the Chickahominy, a space of 50 miles, owing to the 

 level nature of the country, its alluvial covering, the ex- 

 tensive decomposition of the subjacent primitive rocks, 

 and the absence of ravines cutting into those rocks in 

 position, a very unsatisfactory estimate can be formed 

 relative to the details of the geological base along this 

 route. 



