HAMILTON GROUP. 
159 
A quarry of some interest in this group, is on the farm of William Lewis, not far from 
Solsville. It was opened for the Chenango canal. The rock is the hard calcareous grey 
shale, being the upper rock of the hill. There are no regular horizontal lines of division 
whatever, but those which are curved or irregular only. The vertical joints are remarkably 
well defined, giving a wall-like appearance to the rock. This is a common feature to many 
parts, and in many places where the group exists. The joints are in two directions, nearly at 
right angles to each other; one N.E. and S.W. A rock of its nature would appear unsuita¬ 
ble for the purposes required; yet the surface of the quarry is good evidence that it is slow 
to change, except in its color, and the numerous fragments upon the surface of the soil show 
a disposition rather to wear away than to decompose. This quarry is rather rich in fossils as 
to genera and species, but the individuals are not numerous. It is one of the two localities 
of the Maximum phragmoceras, formerly the Cyrtoceras maximus, and where the greatest 
number and the best preserved specimens were found. The other locality is on the road 
between Waterville and Bridgewater. This fossil is the largest coiled chambered shell which 
is found below the lias of Europe. There is a smaller species, which is more expanded from 
the chambers towards the mouth, and which was found also at Ladd’s, etc. Lewis’ quarry 
is one of the four or five localities of the Punctated goniatite (G. punctata); also of the Un¬ 
dulated conularia, the common aviculae, such as the Flabella, the Erect, and the Parity ; also 
the Triquetrous pterinea (P. triqueter), Great orbicula, Channelled cypricardite (C. alveata). 
The singular and graceful forms first noticed in the cauda-galli grit, reappear in this group, 
and are common to many localities. The forms are better defined in this rock than in the 
lower one, and the parts are all united or confluent; showing, in other words, a continuous 
surface, and not one of detached parts, either real or apparent, as in those of the other rock. 
A common form in this, is one which resembles a curtain and its folds, supported at both 
ends ; one raised a little higher than the other, less space being between the ends than in the 
depth of the folds or curtain, as in the succeeding wood-cut, the original of which is from 
Lewis’ quarry. It is furnished also with a stem, which, with the other characters they pre¬ 
sent, fully establishes their right to be considered as Plants ; and from their great number, and 
their associates being oceanic, they must be of like marine origin. 
In the wood-cut on the next page, is a specimen from Lewis’ quarry, showing a stem, and 
the curtain-like folds. 
