prosser.] CA.TSKILL MOUNTAINS SECTIONS. 67 
cliff, is the bluish-gray sandstone, reaching down to about the middle of 
the falls, where there is a stratum of red shale and sandstone, then 
bluish-gray sandstone, and at the bottom of the falls another stratum of 
the red shale and sandstone. The bed of the creek at the loot of Haines 
Falls is about 125 feet below the beginning of the stairway at the top of 
the ledge above. The upper part of the first cascade below Haines 
Falls is composed of gray sandstone, in one stratum of which are quite 
large pebbles, and red argillaceous shale, below which at the base is 
mainly red sandstone. Below this is another cascade, with gray sand- 
stone at the top and red shales and sandstones at the bottom. 
At the bottom of the series of cascades is a stratum of red shale, 
above which is a bluish shale, weathering to an olive color, which passes 
into the coarse gray sandstone as we reach the top. In the lower 
part of the shale the structure is rather irregular, perhaps slightly con- 
cretionary, and fossil plants were found. This stratum (No. 1495 A — 1) 
is in place at about the middle of the ladder on the lowest ledge, under 
the massive sandstone, while a little farther down the path are loose 
blocks which have fallen down the bank, thus affording an excellent 
opportunity to hunt for fossils. The stratum is about 275 feet below 
the top of Haines Falls, or it has an approximate altitude of 1,615 
feet A. T 3 The majority of the fossil plants in this stratum belong to 
Psilophyton prirtceps Dn., specimens of which were submitted to Sir 
William Dawson, who agreed to the above identification. 1 
It is difficult to locate the x>osition of this stratum in Sherwood's 
measured section of the Kaaterskill Clove and Round Top Mountain; 2 
but if his section began near the Palenville Hotel and Prof. Guyot's 
altitudes be correct, 3 then it would seem to be near the 29-foot bed of 
coarse gray sandstone, No. 121 of his section, 4 the bottom of which is 922 
feet above the base of Sherwood's section. This horizon, according to 
Ashburner's interpretation of the series, is well up in what he calls the 
"red beds" of No. IX, or the Catskill stage. Ashburner regarded the 
upper 1,412 feet of this section, forming the upper part of Round Top 
Mountain, as belonging to No. X of the Pennsylvania Survey, 5 the 
Pocono or Vespertine, w T hile Prof. Hall regarded 800 or 900 feet of the 
upper part of Round Top as of Vespertine age. 6 At this time Prof. Hall 
described a geological section from Schenevus, Otsego County, across 
1 See the following note from Sir William in reference to these plants: " So far as I can make out, 
most <>f the plants are Psilophyton prince-ps. One seems to have sporocarps attached, and the 
broader stems are, 1 suppose, rhizomata." (Am. Geol., Vol. VII, p. 365, f. n. §.) 
2 Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, Vol. XVII, 1878, pp. 340, 347. In connection with this section see Ashburner's 
interpretation in 2d ( teol. Surv. Penn., F, 1878, pp, 218, 219; and Prof. Hall's account in the 28+h Rep. 
N. T. State Mus. Nat, Hist,, 1879, pp. 14, 15. 
3 680 feet for the Palenville Hotel and 1,890 feet for Haines Falls (Am. Jour. Sci., 3d Ser.,Vol. XIX, 
p. 449), which would make the altitude of the plant bed (1495 A — 1) ahout 935 feet above the level of 
the Palenville Hotel. 
4 Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, Vol. X VII, 1878, p. 346. 
b Second Geol. Surv. Penn., E, pp. 218. 219. 
•^roc. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci., Vol. XXIV, B, 1876, p. 83, and 28th An. Pep. 1ST. Y. State Mus. Nat, Hist., 
1879, p. 15. 
