324 
GEOLOGY OF THE SECOND DISTRICT. 
or that it has at different times had its shores along several successive lines. One of the 
ridges runs about six miles west of Plattsburgh, and about north twenty degrees east, or 
nearly parallel with the lake shore. The military road from Plattsburg west, runs in some 
instances upon one of these ridges. 
Ridges formed by waves may be always distinguished from those by other causes, by their 
sloping in both directions to and from the body of water which throws them up ; and the 
slope upon the land side will be steeper usually than upon the water side, which is another 
character quite distinctive of their origin, 
I do not propose pursuing the subject of drift, gravel, etc., farther at this time, I deem it 
sufficient to point out a few leading facts, leaving it to others to trace out this ancient coast 
line, and deduce those inferences which they may find warranted by all the facts which can 
be obtained from the study of present phenomena. 
Recapitulation of a few leading Facts in the Geology of Clinton County. 
1. The primary rocks lie along the southern and western borders of the county, adjacent 
to Essex and Franklin, and consist of granite and gneiss, 
2. The iron ores are in veins, some of which are in a state of peroxidation. 
3. The surface rocks which predominate are the sedimentary, belonging to the lower part 
of the New-York system. 
4. The greatest developments are confined to the lower limestones, the calciferous sand- 
rock, chazy limestone and birdseye ; each of which is characterized by several new fossils. 
5. The fossils of these masses belong mostly to known genera ; and those which appear to 
be new, belong to forms well known to geologists, and have a very striking resemblance to 
some of the most recent shells. 
6. Drift is spread over a very large proportion of Clinton, occupying more particularly the 
central part of the county. 
7. The most interesting fact presented by the phenomena of the loose materials, supports 
tlie doctrine that the country was elevated from a submersion, by several successive uplifts. 
8. The upper beds of tertiary are removed ; and some of the remains are now found, with 
other drift, three hundred feet above the level of Lake Champlain. 
