304 The Americmi Geologist. May, i899 
Feet. 
II. Cottonwood limestone lo 
lo. Atchison shales 5°° 
Q. Forbes limestone 25 
8. Platte shales 105 
7. Plattsmouth limestones 3^ 
6. Lawrence shales 265 • 
5. Plattsburg limestones 35 
4. Parkville shales 75 
3. lola limestone 30 
2. Thayer shales 5° 
I. Bethany limestones 75 
Bethany Limestones. The name Bethany, which is applied 
to the formation now regarded as the basal member of the 
Alissourian series, was first used by Broadhead, in 1862, in a 
somewhat more limited sense. As originally proposed the ti- 
de referred to the main body of the limestones. Its distribu- 
tion is given on the Missouri and Kansas maps, it following 
the eastern border of the series. Its relief features and other 
essential characters have been already described. The forma- 
tion is a three-fold one, composed of distinct heavy limestones, 
separated from one another by a few feet of shale. The forma- 
tion becomes very much thicker to the south. 
Thayer Shales. This name was used, in essentiall)' the 
same connection as it is now, by Broadhead, in 1884. By him 
the shales "of Thayer" were fully described and a detailed sec- 
tion given. Haworth in 1896 rechristened the formation, using 
the same name and having the same typical locality, but with- 
out knowing of Broadhead's earlier work. 
When not obscured by drift deposits the Thayer shales 
form a marked lowland belt of country lying between the Beth- 
any ridge and the lola escarpment. These soft rocks have a 
marked effect upon the drainage courses of the region. The 
shales have a few limestone bands intercalated that carry pecu- 
liar and characteristic fossils. Locally, the blue, argillaceous 
portions are also remarkable for the faunas they contain. The 
wonderful forms of crinoids, in an almost perfect state of pre- 
servation, that have been lately described from the "upper coal 
measures" of Kansas City, come from the upper part of these 
shales. In southern Kansas a thin coal seam is present, and 
associated with it, are abundant plant remains. 
The thickness of the shales increases both to the north and 
