Geology of Bermckshire, 64-5 



stone, which, as has ah'eady been stated, may be considered 

 as forming the low grounds, and the greywacke as reposing 

 upon it, or as forming processes or protuberances, and con- 

 stituting the hills and high lands. The greywacke, at Long- 

 formacus, is characterised by its resemblance to sandstone; 

 but, in other places, it approaches nearer to the true species of 

 that rock as it is described in geological treatises, consisting of 

 a basis of clay slate, with portions of the same rock inter- 

 spersed. But the aspects which greywacke assumes are very 

 various, and in number are equalled by no other rock, perhaps, 

 which has yet been discovered. 



In the middle of the parish of Polwarth, a considerable 

 elevation rises, called Kyles Hill, covered principally with 

 oaks, upon which grows in profusion the lichen Alectoria 

 jubata, in long and pendent tufts resembling the hair of some 

 animal. The hill is constituted of a highly indurated species 

 of porphyry, having a red clay basis, containing felspar inter- 

 spersed through it. This rock assumes the same place which 

 the greywacke holds in the Lammermoors, as already de- 

 scribed, the red sandstone being quite conspicuous towards 

 the base of the hill, and exposed in the bed of the small 

 streams which run down its sides. It affords a good material 

 for mending the roads, and is accordingly employed for that 

 purpose. The red sandstone, as it occurs here, is much 

 coarser than usual, and is in some places a rough conglome- 

 rate, but is always easily decomposed after some exposure to 

 the influence of the atmosphere. 



The minerals which have now been described constitute 

 the whole of the rock formations which we have met with in 

 the district to which we have confined ourselves : but there 

 are some alluvial deposits which are very remarkable, and 

 which must have attracted the attention of the most ignorant 

 in geology. I allude to the gravelly ridges, or kaims, as 

 they are locally denominated, of wliich there are two ex- 

 amples in the parishes of Greenlaw and Eccles. The former 

 is infinitely the more striking ; for, as the surrounding surface 

 is level, and in a state of nature, there are no intervening 

 objects to obstruct the prospect, and it is visible at a very 

 considerable distance. 



The ridge extends from W. to N. E., exhibiting an irre- 

 gular and broken outline for above a mile, and in some 

 places is said to be 20 ft. high. The contents are a fine 

 gravel, or sand, consisting of fragments of greywacke. 



In the parish of Eccles, a considerable elevation appears at 

 Hassington Mains, and can be traced by Loanknow and 

 Ploughland, and probably gives name to Kames, once the 



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