SECOND ANNUAL REPORT—SOUTHERN FLORIDA. 
203 
The anticlinal structure plainly shown to the north by the distribu¬ 
tion and order of the sedimentary beds that underlie the surface sands 
is not evident in southern Florida though it is possible that an ex¬ 
amination of the outcrops in the pinelands south of Galoosahatchee 
River may show that a broad, low anticline can be traced as far as the 
Big Cypress. 
So far as is now known, however, the rocks that show at the surface 
throughout the south end of the peninsula lie almost flat. Cross bed¬ 
ding with dips as high as thirty degrees may be seen in places and an 
apparent stratification of lesser dips but greater extent is not uncom¬ 
mon, but in general no well marked evidence of regional folding is to 
be had from a study of rock exposures. 
Since the beds lie flat and their elevation above sea level is no¬ 
where more than thirty-five feet and over most of the region less than 
fifteen feet, it is evident that a thin formation may cover a great extent 
of country and that any filting or folding of unexposed beds must be 
inferred from what has been determined to the north or established 
through the comparison of carefully kept records of deep borings. 
Except for a possible extension of Pliocene beds south of the ex¬ 
posures on Caloosahatchee River previously described by Matson and 
Clapp (p. 123), all the surficial formation of southern Florida, uncon¬ 
solidated and consolidated, are of Quaternary age and include those laid 
down in Recent and in Pleistocene time. 
PRE-PLEISTOCENE FORMATIONS. 
General Statement:—The outcrops of Oligocene, Miocene, and 
Pliocene beds in central and northern Florida and the relations of the 
beds have been discussed by Matson and Clapp (pp. 50 to 145). Neither 
Oligocene nor Miocene formations come to the surface in southern 
Florida and outcrops of Pliocene deposits are not known. Hence the 
character, thickness and relations of any beds older than Pleistocene 
may be inferred from what has been determined to the north or proved 
by samples collected from a number of scattered wells. But the nearest 
outcrops of Miocene and Oligpcene beds are so far from the greater 
part of the area under discussion that inference as to the character, 
thickness and depth of Miocene or older beds are little better than 
guesses, and, unfortunately, reliable records of deep wells are few. 
Still, enough is known of the deeper lying beds to permit the drawing 
of general conclusions as to the character and origin of the Miocene 
and Pliocene deposits. 
Evidence of Well Records:—On the east coast the list of localities 
where there are wells over 100 feet deep comprises Gomez, 1200 feet ; 
