Comparison of the paleomagnetic directions recorded by varved sediments in western New England has provided a means of determining the inherent variability of the paleomagnetic recorder of depositional detrital remanent magnetism. Although a given varve has a stable, well-defined direction of magnetization, successive sampling horizons at the same site as well as the same sampling horizon at different sites may show variations of as much as 8¿ in inclination and 15¿ in declination. This variability is attributed not to the secular variation of the geomagnetic field but rather to the physical factors which can influence the magnetic direction recorded by a sediment. Since the time scale for changes in these factors is comparable to the time scale for changes of the geomagnetic field, it may not always be possible to distinguish the true variation of the geomagnetic field from the variability of the paleomagnetic recorder. In certain circumstances correlation of sedimentary sequences on the basis of apparent secular variation will thus be impossible.