tax  hise.1  EASTERN    UNITED    STATES.  361 
Hunt,28  in  1868,  states  that  there  is  no  evidence  of  the  existence  in 
Vermont  of  any  strata,  except  a  small  spur  of  Lanrentian,  lower  than 
the  Potsdam  formation.  The  so-called  middle  and  lower  Taconic  is  in 
part  Potsdam  and  in  part  Utica,  Hudson  river,  and  Quebec. 
McOormtok,29  in  1887,  describes  the  inclusions  in  the  granite  of 
Craftsbury.  The  inclusions  are  spheroidal  or  elongated  nodules  of  bio- 
tite  li  to  2  inches  in  diameter,  and  sometimes  4  inches  long,  cemented 
with  quartz,  which  by  Hitchcock  were  compared  to  butternuts.  The 
line  of  contact  between  the  inclusion  and  the  rock  is  usually  rather  dis- 
tinct, it  being  possible  to  extract  the  former,  leaving  alining  of  biotite. 
It  is  concluded  that  these  nodules  indicate  the  igneous  origin  of  the 
granite  because  not  capable  of  being  formed  from  aqueous  solution  or 
by  metamorphic  action. 
LITERATURE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 
Hitchcock  (Edward),30  in  1818,  divides  the  Primitive  rocks  of  a  sec- 
tion of  Massachusetts  on  the  Connecticut  river  into  syenite,  granite, 
argillite,  alternating  with  mica-slate,  siliceous  slate,  and  chlorite-slate. 
Dewey,31  in  1818,  states  that  the  country  of  the  Taconic  range  and 
Saddle  mountain  is  principally  Primitive.  Granite  is  found  on  both 
sides  of  Hoosac  and  Pownal  mountains.  Gneiss  and  mica-slate  are 
found  on  the  Hoosac  and  Saddle  mountains.  The  Taconic  range  is  com 
posed  principally  of  a  talcose  or  soapstone  slate,  but  quartz,  granular 
limestone,  and  argillaceous  slate  are  found.  Quartz  occurs  on  Stone 
hill,  above  which  is  argillaceous  slate.  Granular  limestone  occurs  on 
both  sides  of  the  Hoosac.  Argillaceous  slate  occurs  in  the  valleys  con- 
nected with  the  limestone. 
Dewey,32  in  1820,  finds  the  section  from  the  Taconic  range  at  Wil- 
liamstown  to  the  city  of  Troy  to  consist  of  chlorite  slate,  graywacke, 
and  argillaceous  slate,  this  being  the  order  of  succession.  The  strata 
all  incline  to  the  east  from  10°  to  40°,  the  general  inclination  being  20° 
or  25°. 
Hitchcock  (Edward),33  in  1823,  describes  granite  as  occurring  at 
many  localities  in  the  region  contiguous  to  the  Connecticut  river.  It 
sometimes  shows  a  tendency  to  stratification,  which  at  Southampton  is 
in  beds  in  the  mica-slates,  at  Bellows  falls  grades  into  mica-slate,  and 
frequently  veins  of  it  cut  the  strata.  These  veins  divide  and  subdivide 
like  the  top  of  a  tree.  In  this  region  are  also  found  gneisses,  hornblende- 
slate,  mica-slate,  talcose  slate,  chlorite-slate,  syenite,  primitive  green- 
stone, argillite,  and  limestone,  all  of  which  are  referred  to  the  Primitive. 
The  gneiss  is  the  most  abundant  rock,  and  often  alternates  with  mica- 
slate  and  passes  into  it.  The  dips  of  the  layers  are  from  20°  to  90°  to 
the  east.  At  Hatfield,  by  following  up  the  syenitic  ridge,  a  rock  is 
found  which  contains  numerous  imbedded  masses  of  other  primitive 
rocks,  and  these  imbedded  fragments  are  almost  uniformly  rounded  and 
are  often  so  numerous  as  to  make  the  rock  appear  like  a  real  secondary 
