314 
[Assembly 
The position spoken of above, is confined to the upper portion of the 
primary strata and lower layers of the Potsdam sandstone. It is rather 
remarkable that this rock, which is so generally connected with this 
deep red ore, is not higher coloured throughout, for its general colour 
is white, at most but pale red or reddish, with a tinge of brown or yel- 
low. In some places, however, it is deep coloured, but I have gene- 
rally found those to be connected with some local disturbance. 
Of the localities of specular ore it would be possible to enumerate a 
great number in the counties of St. Lawrence and Jefferson. I shall 
confine my remarks, however, to the most important, inasmuch as it is 
from them we are to derive the most information. Among those, I may 
class the Kearney, Parish, Sterling and Theresa beds. 
The two first belong truly to one bed, as has been proved by inter- 
mediate openings. Besides, it probably extends south or southeast 
some considerable distance, as seems to be indicated by an out crop of 
ore in that direction. Indications appear also of the extension of the 
bed still north or northeast of the Kearney bed. This bed may then, 
without exaggeration, be traced at least a mile. Though we may trace 
it thus satisfactorily upon the surface, still it is not possible yet to de- 
termine its lateral extent. As it is now exposed, it has the character of 
a bed, laying as it were between the primitive rocks and the oldest of 
the sandstones. Still, it is possible that not only this, but all the masses 
of ore termed specular, may prove to be in veins, being the upward ex- 
tension into the sandstone from the primary mass. The following facts 
have a bearing on this point. 1st. There are numerous places where 
this ore has no other connexion than with the primary. 2d. There 
are strong reasons in support of the position, that at these localities the 
sandstone has been removed, and that they were formerly in the same 
geological relations as the range in which the Parish and Kearney beds 
are now found. There are every where abraded surfaces and fractured 
strata, and it appears that the sandstone was once continuous over wider 
areas than it now appears, as we find its remains as far east as the spe- 
cular is known to occur. According to this view, the sandstone, to- 
gether with the red ore, has been removed ; and according to well 
known facts, the whole must have been carried south. And what do 
we find in that direction ? Not only beds of red oxide of iron, mixed it 
is true with argillaceous m.atter, but also siliceous rocks, the red sand- 
stone and the gray band of Professor Eaton, &c. in connexion with this 
argillaceous oxide. 
