310 
[Assembly 
though we find boulders of granite extending beyond the southern boun- 
dary of the State, we rarely find boulders of the other rocks far south 
of the stratum to which they belong. 
SECTION Vlil. 
Lake Ridge.* Ridge Road, 
One of the most remarkable features of the surface of the Fourth Dis- 
trict is the " Lake Ridge^" which is a travelled highway from Sodus, in 
Wayne county, with some slight interruptions, to the Niagara river. 
West of the Niagara river, we find a continuance of this ridge, and it 
probably passes round the head of Lake Ontario. Throughout the great- 
er part of this distance, the ridge is well defined, being a slight but ac- 
tual elevation above the general surface of the country. In some places, 
the descent is abrupt on either side of the ridge, but in general it is gra- 
dual. The elevation of this ridge above Lake Ontario is, in Niagara 
county, about one hundred and sixty feet, though there are variations of 
a few feet. The course of the road along the ridge should not be taken as 
a guide for its elevation, as in some cases the road passes over the point 
of a hill which projected into the ancient lake, and at which place the 
ridge is not so well defined . In other cases the ridge has been partially 
removed by streams, as a beach now is forming along the lake shore. 
We often find this ridge divided into three or four parallel ones, which 
extend for a few rods and then unite in one. The elevation of the coun- 
try on the north is exceedingly uniform, and from the foot of thc^ridge 
there is a gentle, almost imperceptible descent, to the lake shore. North 
of the ridge there are no valleys but such as have been worn by 
the present streams. The country on the south is not so uniform. In 
many places we find transverse ridges, jutting upon and terminating at 
the lake ridge. The road in some places is at the termination of such 
a transverse ridge, and at other times over the top of it. 
The course of this ridge is nearly parallel to the lake shore, and from 
four to eight miles distant. The width of the ridge at the base is from 
four to eight rods, narrowing to the top, which is often not more than 
two rods wide. In many places it much exceeds this width. 
It is the prevailing opinion that this ridge has been the shore of Lake 
Ontario, at a period when it had a greater elevation than at present. There 
is indeed sufficient proof of this fact in every appearance of the ridge, 
its materials, and in the surface of the country on the north and south of 
* This terra is applied to the most striking feature of the four lake counties described in this 
report, in consequence of its supposed origin. It is also referred to as the Ridge, the local and 
universal name applied to it by tne inhabitants of the western part of the State. 
