Stylolites in the Burlington Limestone near Kinderhook, Illinois

Weil developed stylolites showing a peculiar relationship to chert occur in the Burlington limestone north of Kinderhook, Illinois. Specimens were studied by the preparation of insoluble residues of the limestone and clay cap, and by making thin sections of the chert nodules. Stockdale\u27s conclusion of origin by solution in an indurated rock is ascribed to for the stylolites in question because, (1) crinoid stems are fluted along the sides of prongs the same as the mass of the rock, (2) the suite of minerals occurring in the clay cap\u27\u27 represents nearly a true average of the suites of minerals from the residues above and below the stylolite, (3) the chert in every case examined was prior to the stylolite formation as shown by fluting along the sides and pitting of upper and lower surfaces, and (4) the presence of systems of subsidiary stylolites which crosscut the prongs of the earlier and larger system. The thickness of the clay cap has little relation to the amount of material removed, as it varied up to 75 per cent soluble