26 The American Geologist. Jan. i890 
measured thousands of feet of strata of post Carboniferous 
and pre-Cretaceous strata which have been ascribed to the 
"Permian," "Triassic," "Jura Trias" and other ages, notwith- 
standing the fact that no stratigraphic section of the region 
has as yet been made. That the present plateau of the Staked 
Phiins once extended eastward across this area, meeting and 
overlapping the Grand Prairie, is everywhere evident from the 
destructive denudation now going on, and the fact that this 
condition still exists in the region preserved from denudation 
south of the Concho. 
This region is divisible longitudinally into two distinct sub- 
areas, the easternmost of which has the local name 
of the Abilene countr}^ after the name of its principal city, 
,and the westernmost, the name of the Gypsum country, 
owing to the preponderance of that mineral in its strata. 
The Albilene Country. 
The eastern half of the Red Beds extending along the west- 
ern Red Beds border of the Palo Pinto or Coal Measure coun- 
try is comparatively more level than the western half or Gyp- 
sum country. Its waters and soils are less impregnated with 
gypsum, and the latter are susceptible of a more profitable 
agriculture. In fact much of the region consists of beautiful 
level plains distinguishable from other prairie regions of the 
state by its vermilion colored soil. The lands around the 
towns of Abilene and Wichita Falls, and some of the so-called 
Concho country are characteristic of this division. Its sub- 
structure is different from that of the Gypsum country, in that 
it embraces the lower or "Permian" portion of the Red Bed sec- 
tion which is composed of rocks of a darker brown or mottled 
greenish color Avith very little gypsum. Within the past few 
years this region of Texas has become well settled by immi- 
gration and is now one of the thrifty portions of the state. 
Conspicuous features of this country are the numerous minor 
scarps striking north and south giving the country a ter- 
raced appearance. 
The Gypsum Country. ^'^ 
This is the western half of the Red Bed region. It is more 
broken than the Abilene country and accompanied by many 
buttes and canons. Owing to the stratified beds of massive 
gypsum everywhere predominant that mineral gives the coun- 
try its chief characteristic, producing variety in color of land- 
^^ Good views of typical Gyosum country topograpy are given in 
Marcy's Exploration of the Red river. 
