152 University of Kansas Geological Survey. 
termined. On Fish creek, however, their approximate thickness 
was determined. 
Section on Fish Creek. 
No. Feet. 
3. Top of high prairie. Covered slope showing ledges of 50—105 
Tertiary rocks. 
2. Yellowish shales changing to blacker shales at the 40— 55 
base. Kiowa. 
1. Red rocks extending to level of creek at this locality. 15— 15 
Along the creek east of Messing’s ranch! the Red-Beds show con- 
spicuously along the bank and up its slope for quite a distance. 
Higher are conspicuous ledges of Tertiary rock, the Kiowa being 
more or less concealed by soil. Between Fish creek and the one 
east of Messing’s ranch, about three fourths of a mile northeast 
of Bluff creek, is a prominent butte the top of which is composed 
of Kiowa shales. This butte has been separated by erosion from 
the Kiowa outcrops a mile or more to the north, which follow the 
main line of bluffs bounding the northern part of the Bluff creek 
valley. On the south side of Bluff creek, nearly opposite Messing’s 
house, are steep bluffs with numerous projecting points and buttes 
along the prominent ledge of the escarpment. At this locality a sec- 
tion was measured from the level of Bluff creek to the general level 
of the divide to the south. Messing’s Bluff is suggested as an 
appropriate name for the conspicuous bluff on the southern side of 
Bluff creek at this locality. 
Section of Messing’s Blu ff. 
Feet. 
. Base of Tertiary near top of bluff. 
. Mainly yellowish sandy argillaceous shales........ 53—226 
. Mainly black shales of the lower part of the Kiowa. 53—173 
. Red rocks consisting of arenaceous shales and fri- 20—122 
able sandstones. This is the division called the 
Hackberry shales by Professor Cragin, the name 
being derived from the exposures along Hack- 
berry creek about 2 miles west of this locality.? 
OR AOS 
1 The Messing ranch is a well known locality in the Bluff creek valley near the 
southern end of the Bluff creek canyon. It is about eleven miles north and one and 
one half miles east of the city of Ashland and in the northern central part of Clark 
county, or more precisely section 17, township 31 s., range 22 w. 
2 FEF. W. Cragin, Colorado College Studies, Vol. VI, p. 46. 
