On the Coal-field of Sutherland. 4t 



Grey limestone, with charcoal in fragments, or with carbonaceous 

 matter in laminae, or diffused through the rock. 



Limestone, with various organic remains ; also bituminous. 



White sandstone conglomerate. 



White sandstone, shales, coal, and limestone in numerous and 

 very irregular alternations. 



This enumeration comprises as complete a general series 

 from the granite upwards, as this coal-field appears to afford ^ 

 but it does not pretend to give the number of the strata. 



The next series shews a simpler order of things, the lower 

 conglomerate being absent : and of the following, I may as 

 well remark here, that they are detailed to shew what takes 

 place in those cases where the granite touches the coal-field 

 in such a manner as to exclude the lower strata ; or else, 

 where, in the progress of deposition of the successive strata,^ 

 the lower have gradually disappeared — 



Granite. j 



Calcareous conglomerate. -j 



Limestone. ^ 



Limestone, with carbonaceous matter and shells. 

 Sandstone, shale, limestone, and coal, in different alternations. 



Granite. 



Limestone, with or without shells and carbonaceous matter. ' 



Sandstone, coal, and shale, in alternations. ^ 



Granite. Shale. Coal. Sandstone. Shale. Sandstone, &c. 



. Granite. Sandstone. ShaJe. Sandstone. Limestone. Sandstone. 



Considering the phenomena which often take place at the 

 junction of granite with the primary rocks, it will naturally be 

 asked whether these strata are any where fractured or fissured, 

 or whether they any where contain granite veins. Some frac- 

 tures have been found in the coal strata at Brora, but none of 

 the latter appearances were observed during my researches ; 

 and from the want of such appearances in the red sandstone, 

 formerly described as similarly situated with respect to this 

 granite, it is probable that there is no interference of the granite 

 with this set of secondary strata. It must, on the contrary, be 

 considered, that they have been deposited on the previously 

 formed basis of the granite ; whether or not they may have, 

 since that period, undergone any change of position. I am 

 thus led to consider the present state of their inclination^ wbiolv 



