Carboniferous of Soiitlnvestcrn Iowa. — Keycs. 349 
Missouri and Kansas, and as shown in section along the Mis- 
souri river between Kansas City and Omaha, are with their re- 
spective thicknesses, as follows : 
Feet. 
II. Cottonwood limestone lO 
10. Wabaunsee shales 500 
9. Forbes limestone* 25 
8. Platte shales 105 
7. Plattsmouth limestone 30 
6. Lawrence shales 265 
5. Plattsburg limestone 35 
4. Parkville shales* 75 
3. lola limestone 30 
2. Thayer shales 50 
I. Bethany limestone 75 
Of these the basal number, the Bethany limestone, is 
known in the central part of Iowa. Its course has been fol- 
lowed through Guthrie, Dallas, Madison, Clarke and Decatur 
counties. The shales immediately overlying are also known. 
Above them and to the westward limestones and shales crop 
out at intervals, but their relations to one another have never 
been made out. 
On the western boundary of the state, along the Missouri 
river, there are known to be exposed the lower two-thirds of 
the Wabaunsee shales, the Forbes limestone, the Platte shales, 
the Plattsmouth limestone and the upper part of the Lawrence 
shales. 
The lola limestone, which is perhaps the most important 
calcareous member in southeastern Kansas, thins out complete- 
ly before reaching the domains of Iowa. The limestones ex- 
posed in the belt some distance to the west of the Bethanv out- 
crops must be referred to the Plattsburg division; the associ- 
ated shales beneath to the Thayer and Parkville, and those 
above to the Lawrence. These doubtless follow the Platts- 
mouth limestone, the Platte shales, and the Forbes limestone, 
*The Forbes lirnestone is the thick limestone typically exposed in 
the top of the bluffs of the Missouri and Nodaway rivers near the 
town of Forbes in Holt county, Missouri. It is the highest heavy 
limestone in the Missourian series, until the capping Cottonwood is 
reached. The Parkville shales are best exposed near the station of 
Parkville north of Kansas City. The name is applied to all the beds 
lying between the lola and Plattsburg limestones. All the other 
names have been used before. The formations and their principal 
section will be more fully considered in another place. 
