Fossil crabs in glacial drift at Bellingham, Washington: evidence of mid-Tertiary marine deposition

Abstract

Three glauconite-rich arkose concretions have been found in glacial drift at Bellingham, Washington. Two concretions contain well preserved fossil crabs, Portunites alaskensis Rathbun, a species previously reported only from Oligocene rocks. No Tertiary marine sediments have been recognized in the source area for this glacial material, but these concretions provide evidence of as yet undiscovered Oligocene strata in the vicinity of the British Columbia – northwest Washington border.