352 Correspondence. 
aad angularity of the blocks forbid the supposition that they are ice- 
borne boulders from a distance. If they do not prove to be outliers of 
the Valentine quartzite they may be a local quartzite iu the Cretaceous 
not hitherto described. 
I recall the fact that when I first enciountered the Valentine quartzite 
in scattered fragments, I took them to be boulders, but (quickly corrected 
myself by tracing them to a thick stratum in situ on the Minnechadusa 
river. The Valentine quartzite contains free gold in minute quantities, as 
noted in this journal for February, vol. i, page 137. 
L. E. Hicks. 
Some Forgotten Tacoxic Literature. 
1819, Deicei/ C.) Am. Jour. Scl. vol. 1., 1819, p. 337.) Sketch of the Min- 
eralogy and Geology of the vicinity of Williams College, Williamstown, 
Mass. 
The rocks and minerals are mentioned in the following order: (1.) Gran- 
ite, Oakhill, both sides of the Hoosack ; Vortex of Pownal Mountain. (2.) 
<?/2.ms and Mica slate, Hoosack Mountain, Saddle Mountain, etc. (3.) 
Quartz, north-east part Saddle Mountain, Stone Hill ; Argillaceous slate 
rests on the quartz on east side of Stone Hill ; also at the base of Hoosack 
Mountain, which extends round the north side of the Hoosack to Oak Hill, 
which is wholly composed of it, etc. (Middle Cambrian of Walcott.) 
(4) Granular limestone, abundant at the Cave or Falls in Adams, and on 
both sides of the Hoosack. On the west bank of the Hoosack and east 
base of the hill, white limestone is found resting on the Mica slate at the 
west of it,etc. {5) Argillaceous Slate rests on quartz on Stone Hill and is also 
found low down in the valley connected with limestone. It constitutes 
the hill (P) connected with the Taconic ranga and also Northwest hill, 
(O) whose base is compact limestone. A few miles north, this slate is 
distinctly marked and is about 12 miles from hills of roof slate in Hoo- 
sack, N. Y. 
* * * i: 
1824, Dewey C. with the assistance of his pupil, i?r. E. Emmons, published 
a geological map of the county of Berkshire, Mass., and of a small part of 
the adjoining states. (Am. Jour. Sci. vol. 8, 1824, p. 1.) 
The rocks are arranged in the following order on the map given in this 
report: 
Granite, Gneiss, Talcose Slate, Mica Slate, (Primary.) 
Quartz, Primitive limestone. Primitive ArgilUte. (Upper Primary.) 
Transition limestone &c. (New York System.) 
These sketches are given to show the school of geology under which 
Dr. Emmons was instructed; and also the'origin of the "Taconic System*' 
which appeared in 1842. 
1842. Emmons E. Topography, Geology and Mineral resources of the 
State of New York. (A. Gazetteer of the State of Ne%v York, etc.. Albany, 
1842. J. Disturnell, March, 1842, p. 11.) 
Emmons on the Taconic System. 
