396 
[Assembly 
Corners, fragments of similar rocks are scattered over the side of the 
hill forming the western slope of the valley. These probably belong 
to the lower portions of the Chemung group, and succeed the Fucoidal 
masses of the north. One mile north of Liberty-Corners, on the hill 
east of the valley and river, appear many fragments and large masses 
of a highly calcareous rock almost entirely composed of fossil shells of 
Leptaena, Orthis, and Delthyris. This is used for a fire stone, for 
which by its crystalline and seamy structure it is well adapted. I have 
not been able to find the rock in place, but the position of the numer- 
ous fragments gives evidence that it is not far distant. 
From Liberty Corners to Bath, along the valley of the Conhocton, 
few rocks appear in place ; the hill sides, though often abrupt, are co- 
vered with soil^ and in many places strewed with flat and angular frag- 
ments of rock, evidently from a mass not far beneath. Nearly all the 
declivities towards the deep valleys are similarly covered, like the talus 
of a cliff on a lake shore ; and probably the cause was the same. The 
water when at nearly or quite the elevation of the tops of the present 
hills would wear away their rocks, fragments of which falling down 
without being subject to erosion by transport, would cover the declivity. 
A section of almost any of our lakes, with their banks, will present 
analogous appearances, except that the water has remained longer and 
worn the fragments more in the present than in the ancient lakes. 
The rocks of Bath and its vicinity and thence to Painted Post, have 
been described in a previous Report. During the past season, they 
have been more exposed in quarrying for the thin courses of sandstone 
which are intercalated between thick masses of shale. They all belong 
to the Chemung group ; those south of Bath consisting of greenish blue 
sandstone, with grey and greenish sandstone below, contain the cha- 
racteristic fossils of that group. On the Tioga, above Painted Post, 
more minute examinations were made at the rail road cutting ; and a 
section exhibiting in detail the changes and varieties of the rocks expos- 
ed. Four miles south of that village, a greenish and brownish shale 
with brown sandstone is succeeded by concretionary strata. This mass 
is entirely destitute of fossils, not even a trace of such being found ; 
while manganese infiltrations are abundant, and almost every fragment 
of shale exhibua beautiful forms, resembling delicate vegetable struc- 
tures. For several miles south of Painted Post, except in the cut men- 
tioned, no rocks in place, are visible, though the hill side is covered with 
fragments which denote the character of the rocks beneath. 
