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The field work, upon which this article is based, was done during the summer of 1911 by a party of United States Geological Survey, under the direct supervision of Mr. E. M. Parks assisted by the writer. The duty of this party was to map the coal for the purpose of land classification. The region examined is located in the extreme northwestern corner of South Dakota and township 21 north of latitude 44 degrees, range 5 east of the Black Hills meridian, which is the state line between South Dakota and Wyoming is taken as typical of the larger fields examined, and is described in detail in this article. This work is treated in three parts which fall under the following heads: Part I, a resume of the literature on the field abstracts of articles relating to descriptive geology but contains only mention of those articles dealing with age and origin of the formation; Part II, a detailed geologic description of Tp. 21 Rg. 5; Part III, a historical review of the opinion in regard to age and origin of the Lance, Fort Union and White River formations. / Master of Science

Sections in and around Badlands National Park, Custer County, South Dakota contain a wealth of faunal and floral data within the White River Group. The Chadronian and Orellan North American Land Mammal Ages define the Eocene-Oligocene boundary here. Faunal and floral changes associated with the Chadronian-Orellan interval have long been attributed to the global Greenhouse-Icehouse climatic transition. Stable isotopes were obtained from paleosol carbonates across the Chadronian-Orellan boundary at three locations in Badlands National Park. Results show wide fluctuations of oxygen isotopes in the uppermost Chadronian and lower Orellan, while carbon isotopes remain relatively stable. The records provide an opportunity to compare the continental response to global change with a near-shore marine system response (Gulf Coastal Plain, USA); and to the world at large. Results indicate a decoupling of the terrestrial response to the Oi-1 glacial event from the marine response. Local conditions appear to play an important role in controlling the record of stable isotopes in paleosol carbonates in the region. / Geologic history of the Eocene-Oligocene -- Climate records -- Causes of climate change -- Climate change across the Eocene-Oligocene -- Current findings -- Discussion. / Department of Geology