First published use as a name for rocks of the middle member of Purgatoire formation. No type locality designated. Source of geographic name not stated. Was included in the Tucumcari beds by Cummins (1892). Tucumcari restricted in this report [although the reason for the restriction not stated]; name Tucumcari applied to the lower member of the Purgatoire. Underlies upper member of Purgatoire called Pajarito shale member. Consists of white or buff, cross-bedded, medium- to coarse-grained, massive or cliff-forming sandstone. Has quartz-pebble conglomerate locally at base. Assigned to the Early Cretaceous. Geologic map; cross sections. Report area is in Palo Duro basin of eastern NM.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Denver GNULEX).

Raised in stratigraphic rank from Mesa Rica sandstone, middle member of the Purgatoire formation, to Mesa Rica sandstone. Term Purgatoire abandoned [should read "areally restricted"] from use in Guadalupe, Harding, San Miguel, and Quay Cos, northeast NM in the Palo Duro basin and on the Sierra Grande uplift. Overlies Tucumcari shale and underlies Pajarito shale, both of which were formerly members of Purgatoire. Is 50 to 100 ft thick and is of Early Cretaceous age.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Denver GNULEX).

Is Lower Cretaceous unit [unranked] that comprises middle part of Purgatoire Formation as mapped with Dakota Sandstone, undivided, in southern Harding and adjacent southeastern Union Cos, NM (Sierra Grande uplift) and in eastern San Miguel and northwest Quay Cos, NM (Palo Duro basin). Dakota and Purgatoire, undivided, not mapped as far east as TX Panhandle. Mesa Rica described as sandstone--fine- to coarse-grained, becomes finer grained upward, cross-bedded, white to gray, locally reddish, thickness 50 to 100 ft.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Denver GNULEX).

Name extended north into the Dry Cimarron valley of Union Co, NM on the Sierra Grande uplift and east into Cimarron Co, OK in the Palo Duro basin where it is newly assigned as the basal formation of the Dakota Group. Was included in some earlier reports as a member of Purgatoire Formation; name Purgatoire abandoned in this report. Name applied to a cliff- and a bench-forming, orange to brown quartz arenite as much as 33 m thick. Overlies Glencairn Formation. Underlies Pajarito Formation of Dakota Group. Correlation chart. Contains sparse Albian flora.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Denver GNULEX).