No. 200.] 
351 
In 1836, Lake Ontario was very high, and in 1837 was a little high- 
er, but has since fallen six inches. 
North of Kendall Centre, in some places the country declines gradu- 
ally to the lake, and there is only a high beach, and no bank. 
The pebbles which compose the beach on the shore of Lake Ontario 
are flat, smooth, and rounded, and consist of limestone with fossils, red 
sandstone, and quartz, granite, and other primitive rocks, which are un- 
like the rocks in this county, or elsewhere in the State. For the sake 
of comparison, the lake, and also the ridge pebbles, were collected from 
various and distant points. 
Creeks, 
Oak Orchard creek is the principal water course in Orleans county. 
On the east side of the creek, at the mouth, we saw two or three 
mounds about three feet high, and ten feet in diameter, containing hu- 
man bones. 
It will be noticed, upon reference to the Map of this county, that all 
the creeks have a general bearing to the east. This may be owing to 
the direction of the rock fissures, which are generally northeast. 
Swamps. 
The Tonawanda marshes extend along the southern edge of Orleans 
county, and occupy a part of Clarendon, Barre, and Shelby. The 
country descends from the Windfall or Limestone ridge to the marshes, 
which are about 90 feet above the level of the Erie canal. 
As the Tonawanda marshes are mostly in Genesee county, a full de- 
scription of their character is deferred to a future report. 
Immediately south of the ridge, in the north part of Murray, is a 
tamarac swamp, about three miles in length, which communicates at 
one end with Marsh creek, and the other with Sandy creek. Its recla- 
mation has been commenced by drainage. 
Soils. 
The prevailing character of the soil north of the ridge is sandy. Li- 
mited tracts of a clayey nature occur, and were observed more especi- 
ally near the lake. 
Proceeding from Ridgeway to the lake, we find a sandy soil extend- 
ing from the ridge to within two miles of the lake, then clay predomi- 
nates, and the soil consists of a clay loam. Here is a strong and warm 
