ONONDAGA SALT GROUP. 
97 
then a green sandstone with green shale, varying in thickness from one and a half to three 
inches ; again red shale two feet thick, followed by a band of green shale, and lastly red 
shale, which terminates this series. 
The red shale on the west side of Oriskany creek, does not make its appearance until within 
two or three miles of the College, where it is well exposed, being the mass upon which the 
institution rests. In the ravine back of Dr. Noyes’, a confirmation of its position, as regards 
the concretionary mass, may be obtained. The latter exists there, upon which the same 
green shale as at Hart’s mill is placed, and then the red shale. From the College hill, the 
red shale is scarcely lost to view in its progress west, spreading out in descending from the 
hill-side, extending on both sides of the upper village of Vernon, and passing into Madison 
by Oneida Castle. In Madison, the Erie canal passes through the centre of the red shale; 
but in Onondaga and Cayuga, with some few exceptions, the red shale is on the north side 
of the canal, the other divisions of the group being on the south side. In all its range of sur¬ 
face and thickness, it shows but little variation, and in no part has a fossil yet been observed. 
In several localities, the red shale shows numerous green spots, varying from an inch or 
less to several in diameter, which strongly contrast with the red ground in which they are 
placed. They were noticed near Hamilton college ; near the salt spring, not far from Upper 
Vernon village ; on the turnpike to the west of Oneida Castle; at the hill south of Lenox; 
on Canaseraga creek, near Storm’s mill; at Salina, by the side of the canal on the road to 
Liverpool; and at the canal at Baldwinsville. At this latter place, many show a small round 
nucleus, whitish and earthy, as if decomposition had there existed. It is not easy to resist 
the impression that the green color is the result of a change in the red particles, the peroxide 
of iron being reduced to a protoxide, which analysis could readily determine. In order that 
this change should take place, an action or movement of the particles, like that which is ne¬ 
cessary to form accretions, must first exist, with animal or vegetable matter to remove the 
excess of oxygen. Be the cause what it may, they are curious, and show the commencement 
of an action in a mass independent of an external cause, producing an important chemical 
result, as well as a marvellous one to the eye. It is by actions of this kind that the variations 
of color have been produced, which are noticed in boring into the red shale deposit. 
The red shale, though of great extent, traversing the counties of Herkimer, Oneida, Madi¬ 
son, Onondaga and Cayuga, and presenting a thickness of from one to nearly five hundred 
feet, yet no where has a fossil been discovered in it, or a pebble, or any thing extraneous, 
excepting a few thin layers of sandstone, and its different colored shales and slate. 
Second Deposit. This consists of shales, and calcareous slate of a light green and drab color, 
intermixing and alternating with the red shale at its lower part. On the road from Clockville 
to Lenox, descending the hill to the turnpike, is one of the best localities for observing the 
alternation of the different colored masses. Thus we have at the top of the series, green; 
then red under it; green ; red ; bluish ; green and yellow, this latter by exposure to the air ; 
then red and green layers, with a little white and greenish sandstone, being several repetitions 
of the two first; and finallv red shale as the lowest visible mass. 
Geol. 3d Dist. 13 
