334 The Cincinnati Rocks. — Perry. 
absurd is the statement that "the shale is undoubtedly due to 
the wash of the shores brought there by the moving waters." 
When we remember that Cincinnati, where this peculiar struc- 
ture is observed in all its perfection, was hundreds of miles 
from the nearest shore line, we see the difficulty in the way of 
this theory. It is also insufficient on other grounds, for if it 
came from any such source and was gradually deposited, we 
should have instead of the pure limestones with sharp defini- 
tion, strata varying in composition from nearly pure carbon- 
ate of lime, and passing through all degrees of mixture until 
the purest shale was reached and vice versa. 
Analyses show that at Waynesville, a sample of the lime- 
stone contained 96.56% of the carbonates of lime and magne- 
sia, whereas analyses^ of shales from the same locality give 
.the following result : 
Waynesville. Sycamore Hill. 
Siliceous matter 69.90 81.50 
Alumina and iron 10.24 9.00 
Carb. lime and magnesia . .14.46 6.04 
Potash and soda 5.40 
Phosphoric acid 0.16 
We think both of these theories are untenable and unworthy 
even of second thought. We believe that any theory that 
does not account for the synchronous deposit of both will fail 
to answer all the conditions of the case. We believe that the 
limestone and the shale must have originated at or near 
where they are found to-day, and it is as reasonable to claim 
a foreign origin for one as for the other. The assumption of 
a shallow water origin for one, therefore, involves a like origin 
for the other. If we assume a condition of shallow water 
extending throughout the Cincinnati epoch, and the bed of 
that shallow sea to have been inhabited by a dense animal 
life as we know it to have been, and also assume a luxuriant 
flora at the same time we have all the conditions on which 
to base an explanation of these alternating strata of shale and 
limestone. The animal life obtained its lime from the water 
in which it lived and the plant life obtained its mineral matter 
from the same source. The dead shells, through constant 
attrition and grinding, were partly reduced to the finest pow- 
der and held in suspension by the agitated water, until, 
'Wormley. 
