Ordovician Carbonates in Northwest Lewis and parts of Southeast
Jefferson counties, New York
J. Andrews, Mr. Andrews, Block 1 2013-14
Honors Earth Science
Paul V Moore High School
Abstract:
During portions of the 2003 summer and fall field
seasons, we extended the formational contacts
of the limestone units mapped by Johnsen
(1971) in Jefferson County, NY into the
northwest part of Lewis County, NY. This
research illustrates the formational contacts as
exposed in stream cuts in the Black River Valley
region between the eastern Tug Hill Plateau and
the western Adirondacks. The classical stream
cuts, described by 19th and 20th century workers
(Clarke; Schuchert; Miller; Ruedemann; Kay)
were reexamined using the preexisting
formational names.
(1960), Fisher (1962) and Johnsen (1971) who
all worked in this study region. Some of their
names have been altered to fit the American
Code of Stratigraphic Nomenclature (1982).
Introduction:
The rocks of Jefferson and Lewis Counties in
New York have many different formational
boundaries. We placed the boundaries
according to the most recent classification. The
study area is about 400 Km 2 (200 Miles2) and it
is located west of the Adirondack Mountains
near the Tug Hill Plateau, (Figure 1). During the
summer and fall of 2003, we mapped and
collected data by measurement of The Jacob
Staff with in multiple streambeds.
The purpose of this study is to identify, map, and
correlate the formations regions of northwest
Lewis and southeast Jefferson counties.
Historically, the formational names given were
used as the rock names and the timestratigraphic units (Walker 1973), but this way of
naming does not comply with the American
Code of Stratigraphic Nomenclature (ACSN)
(1983). The naming classification used in this
study is mainly a combination of historical
studies, Cushing (1908), Kay (1937), Winder
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Figure 1: Field area in this study, creeks numbered 1
through 5 have been included in this study for individual
outcrop studies related to the study area as a whole
(Modified from Titus 1986 and Isachsen 2000).
Method:
The definition of a limestone is, a sedimentary
carbonate rock where the composition is mainly
calcite, (CaC03) and dolostone is a rock in which
the primary composition is dolomite,
(Ca,Mg(CO3)). If there is more dolomite then
calcite then it is called a limey dolomite. On the
other hand, if there is more limestone, then it is
called it either a sparite or a micrite based on the
cementation of the rock (Johnsen, 1971).To
analyze the rocks, we also used a method of
grain size analysis. The four typical limestones
are calcilutites, calcisiltite, calcarenite and a
Andrews, J
calcirudite. A calcilutite is a very fine grained
limestone that is often called a micritic limestone
that the grains are considered smaller then
.004mm in diameter under Folk (1962) scheme.
A calcisiltite is a fine grained limestone that is in
the size range of .004 to .03 in diameter and this
is often described as a micritic sparite. A
calcarenite is in the range of .03 to 2.0mm and is
sometimes described as a sparry micrite. The
coarsest grain size is calcirudite, from 2.0 to
8.0mm of which we refer to as a sparite.
Definition of formations (Historical)
Black River Group
Pamelia Formation: This formation had been
described by Johnsen (1971) as a medium dark
gray calcisiltites interbedded with light gray
dolostone with zones of quartz sandstones
throughout the formation (Johnsen, 1971). The
weathering of this formation is a green color with
a red tint (Johnsen, 1971). The Pamelia contact
with the Lowville formation is often put where the
last dolostone bed is located (Walker 1973).
Lowville Formation:
The Lowville Formation is part of the Black River
Group and this is described by Johnsen, (1971)
as a dark gray to olive limestone that can range
from light to dark. This formation contains the
fossil Phytopsis tubulosa; which is a vertical
worm burrow and is often found on the surface
of exposed rock (Johnsen, 1971). Phytopsis sp.
is more abundant in the upper Lowville, where
they are filled with coarse white calcite
(Johnsen, 1971). The contact between the
Lowville and the Chaumont is the base of the
Chaumont has small light colored chert nodules
(Johnsen, 1971), while the Lowville formation
weathers a white color.
Chaumont (Watertown) Formation:
The Watertown, or the Chaumont formation is
typically represented in southern Ontario and
Northwestern New York (Johnsen, 1971). The
formation thins out to the west. This boundary is
easier to find due to the resistance, but the
Watertown formation is more resistant then the
underlying Lowville Formation. The formation
has been described by Johnsen (1971) as a
medium gray to dark gray color. The fractures
of the Watertown Formation are described as
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being hackly. The weathering pattern is rough
and irregular compared to the smooth Lowville
(Johnsen, 1971). This formation is the only
formation that contains chert nodules in many of
the exposures.
Trenton Group
Rockland (Napanee) Formation:
The Napanee Formation overlies the Watertown
Formation in the Black River Group. The
Napanee Formation has been described by
Johnsen (1971) to contain limestone beds at 510 cm interbedded with shale beds at 2-5cm.
The formation has a unique appearance in that,
it has a chocolate brown color in some localities,
but in general, it is said to be a gray micrite. That
slowly converts to sparite up section. The
(Rockland) Napanee is also identified by
Triplesia cuspate, a distinct brachiopod in the
studied formations. The contact between the
Napanee and the Kings Falls Formations is
gradual but based on the bed thickness. In the
Napanee, the upper beds in the formation begin
to thicken (Johnsen, 1971). There is no exact
point where this contact could be drawn
because of the complexity between the beds.
The contact was described by Kay (1933) as a
rather heavy ledged laminated limestone.
Kirkfield (Kings Falls) Formation:
The boundary between the (Rockland) Napanee
and the (Kirkfield) Kings Falls Formations are
approximately over seven to eleven meters
(Johnsen, 1971). One of the defining
observations is that, the Kings Falls Formation
contains coarse grains and pararipples
(Johnsen, 1971). The Kirkfield (Kings Falls)
Formation contains abundance of fauna; such
as, brachiopods and trilobites (Johnsen, 1971).
In the Kirkfield, the Cryptolithus pora orientalis, a
trilobite, becomes a key indicator of the
formation (Kay, 1933). Which has been
described by Chenoweth as, a heavy bedded
calcarenite with thin shales and some random
fine grained limestone. The contact between
The Kirkfield and the Shoreham is very difficult
to draw because the beds of the Kirkfield are
said to be thick about 3 to 6 cm thick. The
contact can also be recognized because the
Kirkfield formation is more resistant then the
Shoreham (Chenoweth, 1952).
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Shoreham (Sugar River) Formation:
The contact between the Kirkfield and the
Shoreham Formation is difficult to point out
because it is another gradational contact. The
Shoreham is defined as, a limestone that is
made of irregular lensing beds of fine
fossiliferous calcarenite and calcisiltites
(Johnsen, 1971). The beds of the Shoreham
Formation are estimated to be about 2.5
centimeters up to 10 centimeters. The
Shoreham formation was named by Kay (1937)
as thin-bedded limestone and claimed that the
Shoreham Formation contains Prasopora
orientalis beds (Chenoweth, 1952). The
Shoreham formation rarely contains ripple marks
like the underlying formation of the Kings Falls
because the Shoreham Formation is thin to
medium-bedded limestone. The limestone can
range from a dark gray on the fresh surface and
to a light gray on the weathered surface
(Johnsen, 1971). The beds in the Shoreham
formation are typically 1 to 5 centimeter beds
(Chenoweth, 1952) and are irregular with lenses
of fossiliferous calcarenite interbedded with thin
shales (Chenoweth, 1952).
Denmark (Denley) Formation:
The Denmark is the thickest of the underlying
formations in the Trenton group and is presently
referred to as the Denley Formation. This
formation has been broken down into five
members the first being that lower of the
sequence, the Camp Member. The member is
about 3.6 meters of nodular, borrowedreworked, calcisiltites and fine-grained
calcarenite that are interbedded with calcareous
shale (Chenoweth, 1952). The next section in
the member sequence is the Glendale Member
and according to Chenoweth, the section is
about 10.6 meters of hard blue-gray calcilutites,
calcareous shale and coquinal calcarenites.
Chenoweth also claims that this member
strongly contrasts from the member below the
Poland member, which has been defined by Kay
in 1943 and has been described as about 18.3
meters thick. The composition is argillaceous,
fine-grained calcisiltites and calcareous shale.
This is overlain by the Russian Member, which
has also been described by Kay in the 1943
journal and is described as about 22.9 meters
thick. It has been explained as, a burrowreworked surface, shaly limestone that lacks
shelly calcarenites. The top member of this
sequence is the Rust member, which is the
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thickest at 35.1 meters thick. This member is
argillaceous and Rafinesquina deltoidea bearing
coquinal limestone, as described by Kay.
Cobourg (Steuben and Hillier) Formation:
The Cobourg Formation consists of two
members, the Hallowell Member and the Hillier
Member (Johnsen, 1971). The Hallowell
Member is the lower member of the two and is
composed of medium light gray, thin bedded,
fossiliferous calcarenites with shale interbeds.
Higher in the section, the limestone is more
resistant and the shales beds decrease in
thickness. The Hillier Member of the Cobourg
formation is composed of medium gray
calcisiltites (Johnsen, 1971). This member is
considered a zone of Hormotoma and Fusispira.
Results:
Interpretation of Formations
Black River Group
Pamelia Formation:
At the base of the Pamelia there is a variation in
the lithology ranging from arkosic conglomerate,
sandstone, limestone and dolomite. An arkosic
conglomerate defines the base along with the
sandstone intermixed with limestone and
dolomite. Higher in the section the beds thin and
become more prolific in limestone and dolomite.
The top of the formation is defined by a 1:1
limestone-dolomite ratio over a 3 meter range
and the contact with the Lowville formation is
sharp. The Pamelia is approximately 6-8 meters
thick on average, but can reach thickness of up
to 10 meters thick near the northern section of
the study area.
Lowville Formation:
The Lowville, at the base, is gradational yet, has
distinct characteristics. The formation tends to
be a darker gray micrite with no dolomite or
sandstone beds and at outcrop, Phytopsis
tubulosa can be observed, which are thin subvertical worm burrows. These burrows were
formed when the sediment was undergoing
digenetic process. On average, the Lowville is
10 meters thick however, it is 18 meters near
Lowville, NY. The contact with the Watertown is
relatively sharp and easy to identify in outcrop.
Andrews, J
Watertown Formation:
The thick massive beds at the base of the
Watertown give a distinct appearance to the
formation, while the blue-gray color and micritic
texture create an ideal unit to identify. The whole
formation is micritic and contains few fossils at
the base, but up section, the cephalopods
become abundant. The top of the formation is
defined by the appearance of chert nodules.
These nodules are small, ranging from 2 to 10
cm, and are easily observed because of the
resistance to weathering. Beds within the
Watertown are very thick approximately 20-30+
cm and on average, the formation is 6 meters
thick. There is also evidence of bentonite beds
in the Watertown.
Trenton Group
Napanee Formation:
The Napanee is the first in a series of formations
with limestone shale interbeds. At the base the
micrite beds (5-15 cm) are moderately thick
compared to other formations with interbedding
and with shale beds that are approximately 5 cm
in thickness. Up the column, the Napanee does
not alter much, other than the thinning of the
beds. The beds are fossiliferous containing
mostly brachiopods, including a trace fossil for
the formation, Triplesia cuspidate that has a
distinctive brachiopod with an accentuated fold
and sulcus. The Napanee, on average, is only 6
meters thick but ranges from 4 to 14 meters
thick. The beds are becoming more sparitic in
composition and can be observed at the top of
the Napanee while bentonite beds can be
observed in this formation near the top of the
formation.
a key indicator of the formation which is 16
meters thick on average, but can be up to 20
meters in thick. The contact with the Sugar River
Formation is complex and varies from location to
location. However, most of the contact is said to
be gradational because the shale interbed
thickness is the main indicator. When the beds
begin to thin to 2-5 cm from 5-12 cm, the contact
can be very well defined to very complex and is
best described as gradational.
Sugar River Formation:
Thin sparite beds with interbedded shale define
the base. Limestone (5-8 cm) and shale (2-5
cm) beds are thin at the base and thicken up
section and are the smallest in the sequence
thus far. Paraspora simulatrix is very abundant
within the formation and the size of the
Paraspora can become very large. The Sugar
River Formation is usually 16 meters in
thickness, but can be seen as thick as 22.5
meters, as in Stony Creek. The contact is
gradational between the Denley and the Sugar
River and the main change in the formations, at
this point, is the shale bed thickness; in the
Sugar River Formation the beds are 2-5 cm thick
while in the Denley the beds tend to be much
thicker at 5-12 cm. The limestone beds at the
contact tend to be knobby and thin, but thicken
further up formation.
Denley Formation:
The base of the Denley is observed where shale
beds increases in thickness to 5-12 cm and the
micrite beds are still moderately thin
approximately 6-10 cm. The Denley contains
fossils but not as abundant as in the Napanee,
Kings Falls and Sugar River Formations.
Kings Falls Formation:
At the base of the Kings Falls Formation, the
sparry limestone interbedded with shales are
thinner than that of the Napanee, but are more
proportional or equilateral to each interbed. At
the base, the limestone beds are approximately
12-25 cm thick, while the shale beds are
approximately 5-12 cm. Pararipples are very
common in the Kings Falls Formation with an
orientation ranging from 150-215˚, some are
symmetric while others are asymmetric. The
Kings Falls Formation is highly fossiliferous,
containing mostly brachiopods and appear to be
similar to a brachiopod-rich pavement. Along
with the brachiopods, in the Kings Falls, the
Cryptolithus pora orientalis, a trilobite, becomes
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Figure 2: Examples of a basin ramp succession relative to
sea level changes before tectonic alteration in the Tug Hill
region (from Reading 2000)
Andrews, J
Fauna includes the same brachiopods and
trilobites as seen in the Kings Falls and Sugar
River formations. The highest shale bed defines
the top of the formation. Typically, the thickness
of the Denley varies between 20 and 30 meters.
Outcrops containing Denley are often
undercover mostly due to the composition and
shale limestone ratio in the formation.
Figure 3: Summary of depositional environment in the Black River
group during the Middle Ordovician , ( Walker 1973).
Steuben Formation:
The base of the Steuben Formation can be
defined as a sparite with no shale interbeds.
Beds within the Steuben Formation are typically
thick around 10-15 cm. The texture of the sparite
is variable, yet, possible laminations can be
seen within the beds. This formation is not
fossiliferous but, a few brachiopods can be
identified including, Rafinesquina sp. The
Steuben Formation tends to be around 8 meters
thick but can range up to approximately 10
meters. The top of the formation is defined by
the thinning of the beds and a transition to
micrite.
Hillier Formation:
The Hillier formation is similar to that of the
Steuben Formation, but the beds are thinner and
are micritic. The same fossils are present;
however, they are becoming increasingly more
random. Phosphatic-rich beds on top of a
weathered surface define the top of the
formation with gradual contact over a meter
between the Gulf Stream and the Hillier
Formations. The contact is defined as by the last
shale bed then the Gulf Stream Formation
begins
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Figure 4: Three hypothesis concerning the time relationships and formation
of the Black River Group, (Walker 1973).
Discussion:
Sedimentology of the study area
From the lithology, models can be derived and
interpreted for each formation, (as done here to
show the depositional environment). It is
important to look at the evolution of the
carbonate shelf system in which these units
were deposited (Figure 2) to better understand
the formations in the study area. From lagoons
to deep water, the deposition was controlled in
this region by the restricted sea during the
Middle Ordovician (Titus, 1986). Overall, the
environments were deepening from the
Napanee to the Steuben, showing a
transgressive sequence in this region, during the
Middle Ordovician. The environment can best be
described as a basin ramp succession, (Figure
3). However, in the Tug Hill and further south,
there is evidence that the ramp has been
tectonically altered. During the Taconic
Orogeny, the uplift of the Appalachian
Mountains caused compression in the lithology,
causing the Tug Hill to rise in elevation, leading
to a reduction in the depositional environment,
(Figure 5-7). This is observed from the Hillier
Formation into the Lorraine Group.
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Black River Group
In the Black River group in this study area, there
are a number of hypotheses that can describe
the formation of the strata seen. Three main
hypotheses were purposed by Kay (1937),
Winder (1960), and Fisher (1962).
In this study observations and data collected
were identified to best follow Walkers model,
(figure 4).
Pamelia Formation:
From the lithology, the depositional environment
of the Pamelia is interpreted as a moderately
shallow off-shelf margin (Figure 2). This region
is also called the wave-baffle margin. The
limestone dolostone interbedding shows that the
beds during sedimentation were shallow on shelf
but were altered minimally by bioturbadation.
Also, in the Pamelia, the Tetradium sp. were
found all in living position (Walker, 1973). The
dolostone formed under the pressure of the
overlying sediments and strata, and with the
addition of magnesium-rich waters in the region
that percolated through the surface and
chemically altered the limestone into dolostone.
Lowville Formation:
The Lowville shows a very similar characteristic
to that of the Pamelia: however, it does show a
significant difference. During sedimentation, the
limestone never undergoes the digenetic
alteration to dolomite. This is mostly due to the
alterations in the magnesium content in the
waters. However, the beds form in a deeper
environment than the Pamelia, accounting for
the more sparitic bioclastic limestone present.
The Lowville Formation is called the Birds-eye
limestone, because of the high concentrations of
sparry calcite filled burrows formed from
Phytopsis tubulosa.
Watertown Formation:
The Watertown Formation is primarily micrite
and is fossiliferous with the top boundary of the
Watertown containing chert nodules. The
following interpretations can be made from the
understanding of the formation of the chert
nodules and give a better understanding to the
massive thickness of the Watertown Formation.
The Watertown Formation formed in a deep
marine carbonate shelf margin. The fauna
indicates that the environment was far below the
mean tide line (Titus 1986). Understanding that
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the larger beds could have either formed from a
higher rate of deposition or a prolonged
depositional period allows data collected at the
outcrops to explain the depositional
environment. From the outcrops studied and the
fauna collected, the environments can best fit
the idea of the prolonged depositional
environment, however, because the limestone is
micritic and some fauna can be dated over a
short stratigraphic time frame, an increase in the
rate of deposition is possible.
Trenton Group
Napanee:
The deposition environment is interpreted to be
a shallow lagoon behind a barrier shoal (Figure
5-1). In the Napanee, limestone and shale
interbed are common, showing a lower energy
environment as compared to the carbonate shelf
(Walker 1973).
Kings Falls:
The Kings Falls Formation is a shallow
carbonate shelf. Observations from figure 5-2
shows that shows that the shallow shelf was on
the seaward area of the growing lagoon region,
where the Napanee was deposited, the lagoon
eventually expanded to a larger shallow to deep
sea. Since the Kings Falls Formation contains
limestone and shale interbeds, the beds
themselves are thinner than the older Napanee
Formation. The thinner beds show that the
depositional environment was getting deeper,
and the depth increases, the shale beds
decrease, until they disappear (Walker 1973).
Sugar River:
Deposition of the Sugar River Formation was in
a shallow to deep carbonate shelf, and created
the limestone shale bed that can be observed
today. Figure 5-2 shows that the Sugar River
was deeper than that of the Kings Falls
Formation, but still has limestone and shale
interbeds, thus identifying that, the deposition
was still moderately shallow as compared to the
group as a whole. The interbeds are significantly
thinner than that of the Kings Falls Formation,
thus also explaining the deepening environment,
because the shallowing environment deposits
thinner beds, due to the amount of sediment in
the depositional region (Chenoweth, 1952).
Andrews, J
Denley:
This formation is interpreted as a shallow to
deep carbonate shelf. Figure 5-3 shows the
Denley Formation to be interpreted as a
deepening shelve environment (Chenoweth,
1952). This deepening explains the variation in
the shale interbed within the limestone, due to
the changing amounts of sediment at the
depositional region. Within the Denley, the beds
start off thin, but the thickening and then thinning
again, until relatively no shale is left. The data
suggests that the environment was covering a
wide region on the carbonate shelf and also
possibly shows a beginning to the tectonic uplift.
Interpretations can be made to show that the
beds were getting shallower, then changing
back to deepening.
Steuben:
The depositional environment of the Steuben
Formation is best described as a shallow to
deep carbonate shelf. The continuation of the
deepening of environments would explain why
the shale interbeds have disappeared in the
Steuben. Figure 5-4 shows that the location of
the Steuben Formation was deeper than that of
the Denley. The formation also included a
steeper slope of deposition because the sea
was rising relatively causing the deposition to
move seaward. The cause for this slope
steepening is not completely understood at this
time, but is supported by the idea that the shale
disappears in this formation (Walker 1973,Titus
1986).
Hillier:
The Hillier Formation can be interpreted as a
deep to shallow carbonate shelf. The limestone
seen in the formation shows an interesting
change in deposition. The beds begin to thin in
the Hillier; while, limestone beds are still present
without shale. If the tectonic uplift had begun,
and the sea level had remained constant until
the depositional environment had become
shallower, thus showing thinner beds. If this idea
were to be supported by the following formations
then it would be expected to see shale interbeds
or possibly just shale beds deposited. The
successive formation (Gulf Stream) is composed
of black shale. In figures 5-5 and 5-6, the
possible uplift had changed the depositional
environment, which forced the rock units to be
altered from the uplift.
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Figure 5: The systematic stages of deposition during
the Trenton Group including Napanee (2-1) through
Hillier (2-6), (Titus 1986).
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Conclusion:
The formations of Jefferson and Lewis counties
have had numerous naming classifications.
With boundaries that have been defined through
sedimentological interpretation, paleontological
data and lithographic records collected in the
field. Kay, Johnsen, Titus and Walker’s work
has helped to define this project and
understanding of the formations in the Tug Hill
Plateau. Through this study, the boundaries
have been defined and mapped, but the
formational names from the past have often
been confused and interchangeable. We
present the current usage of the names
following the American Stratigraphic Code of
Nomenclature. Currently researchers are using
a more precise method to narrow down these
definitions using bentonite layers and
radiometric dating to correlate and define
further.
Works Cited:
American Commission on stratigraphic
Nomenclature, 1982, note1 –Organization and
objectives of the Stratigraphic Commission:
American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Bulletin, v. 31, no. 3, p. 513-518.
Chenoweth, A. P. 1952. Statistical methods
Applied to Trentonian Stratigraphy in New
York. Bulletin of the Geological Society of
America. Volume 63, pp. 521-560.
Cushing, H. P. 1908. Lower portion of the
Paleozoic sections in northwestern New York.
Geological Society of America. Bulletin 19: 155176.
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Fisher, D. W. 1962. Correlation of the
Ordovician rocks of New York State. New York
State museum and science service. Map and
chart series 3.
Folk, R.L., 1962, Spectral subdivisions of
limestone types, in W.E. Ham (ed.),
classification of carbonate rocks: American
Association of Petroleum Geologists Mem. 1 p.
62-84.
Isachsen, W. Y., Landing, E., Lauber, M. J.,
Rickard, V. L., Rogers, B. W.. 2000. Geology of
New York, A simplified account. Second edition.
New York State Museum.
Johnsen, H. J. 1971. The Limestones of
Jefferson County, New York. N.Y. State
Museum and science service. Map and chart
series 13.
Kay, G. M. 1933. The Ordovician Trenton Group
in Northwestern New York: Stratigraphy of the
lower and upper limestone formations. American
Journal of Science.
Kay, G. M. 1937 Stratigraphy of the Trenton
group. Geological Society of
America.
Bulletin 48 pp. 233-302.
Titus, R. Fossil Communities of the Upper
Trenton Group (Ordovician) of New York State.
Journal of Paleontology. Volume 60, no. 4, pp.
805-824. 1986.
Walker, K.R. 1973. Stratigraphy and
Environmental Sedimentology of Middle
Ordovician Black River Group in the Type AreaNew York State. N.Y. State Museum and
science service. Bulletin 419.
Winder, C. G. 1960. Paleoecological
interpretation of Middle Ordovician statigraphy in
southern Onartio, Canada. Ordovician and
Silurian stratigraphy and correlations. Inter.
Geol. Cong., Copenhagen, Denmark 21: 18-27.
Andrews, J