Cheyenne Sandstone of Kansas. — Cragi/n. V6 
and unique in the history of geology which class those who made 
them at a very low level as observers. They have enjoyed and 
still enjoy to a certain extent popularity, however mistaken they 
are in their observations and classifications, and they do not in- 
tend to resign it. It is reserved to future generations of Ameri- 
can geologists to render justice and honor to the memories of those 
"who have suffered during all their lives for progress and truth. 
Cambridge, Mass., April. 1890. 
ON THE CHEYENNE SANDSTONE AND THE NEO- 
COMIAN SHALES OF KANSAS. 
By F. W. Cragin* Topeka, Kansas. 
(Continued from October Number). 
In portions of the Kansas counties of Kiowa, Comanche, 
Clarke, Meade, Ford, Pratt, Barber. Harper, Kingman, McPher- 
son, and Rice, and overlying the Cheyenne sandstone wherever 
the latter occurs, may be seen remnants of a geological stage 
which is of especial interest ; first, because it is one which was 
-discovered in Indian Territory, and announced as found there, 
thirty-five years ago, by Prof. Jules Marcou, but which, as an 
American formation, has been ignored by the rank and file of 
American geologists from that day nearly to this ; and again, b e 
cause its American geography, stratigraphy, and palaeontology 
are still very imperfectly known. 
This is. the Neocomian. It includes, in the southern Kansas 
■district, a series of marine shales, with subordinate sandstones, 
shell-conglomerates, and shell breccias, situated between the base 
of the Dakota and the summit of the Cheyenne sandstone. Over 
a large [tart of this district, owing to erosion of one or both of 
the latter formations, the Neocomian rests upon the Triassicor is 
overlaid directly by the Tertiary. Its shales are usually light 
drab or butt' in the upper portion, and of a dark slate color in the 
lower. The most conspicuous feature of its outcrop Is the hori- 
zon of dark slate-colored shale. The color of this horizon 
has led to much useless prospecting tor coal. Lignite, in- 
deed, often occurs in it in senilis, fragments, and pockets, hut is 
nowhere found of such quality and quantity :is to be practically 
available as a fuel. 
