,1823.] Transition Formation ofStaeden, 17 



ago, Dr. Wahlenberg, of the University of Upsala, celet3i*ated 

 for his travels in Lapland, his discoveries relating to the geography 

 of plants, &c. gave an account of the extent of these lormatiOiJS 

 in Sweden, vi^hich, though it mostly concerns their geographical 

 connexion with the primitive formations, and the fossils imbedded 

 in them, affords, nevertheless, a great deal of information. Two 

 papers have appeared; the first on the geological formation 

 of Sweden, prmted in the first volume of a periodical work, 

 called Svea ; the second is a paper on some petrifactions, 

 which has been communicated to the Society at Upsala, and 

 though printed several years since, has not been published, and 

 a few copies are only in the hands of the friends of the author.^ 



It is much to be regretted that the author has not imitated the 

 above mentioned travellers, in stating what he owes to the 

 labours of his predecessors ; so that it is often difficult in his 

 works to distinguish his own discoveries, and even his own obser- 

 vations from those of others. We are going to notice such of 

 M. Wahlenberg's observations as appear new to us, and we 

 shall add such facts from preceding observations as will be 

 necessary for illustration. It is to be regretted that we are not 

 able to do the same with regard to Norway ; but except the 

 transition formation round Christiania, very little is known. 

 We may, however, expect much from the zeal and information 

 of several travellers, who have been some years occupied in a 

 thorough investigation of the geological nature of this extensive 

 country. 



Every thing in the transition formation of Scandinavia, tho 

 nature of its rocks, its position with respect to the primitive 

 mountains, its geographical situation, bears a peculiar character. 

 Rocks of every description are found in it, mostly distinguished 

 by their crystalline structure. It was in Scandinavia that gra- 

 nite was first discovered to be a member of the transition forma- 

 tion. Syenite occurs likewise frequently, and of the numerous 

 varieties of the trap family, the two extremes, crystalline green- 

 stone on the one side, and basalt and amygdaloid on the other, 

 have both been observed. Sandstone and quartzrock, granular 

 and compact limestone, clayslate, siliceous slate, alumslate, and 

 even beds of whetslate occur. The slate itself is frequently bitu- 

 minous, so much so that it burns ; and even thin beds of coal 

 occur at Billingen, in Westgothland. The shale which contains 

 much bitumen is free or mostly free from lime ; it is then an 

 excellent alumslate, and a number of alumworks are supplied 

 with it. It is distinguished from the alumslate of other coun- 

 tries, and the bituminous shale which is used in the alum manu- 

 factories in Scotland, by containing, besides sulphur and 

 alumina, a sufficient quantity of potash, so that nothing is 



• Om Svenska Jordens Bildning af G. Wahlenberg i Svea. Tidskrif^ soy Vetenskap 

 och Konst Foresta Haeftct. Upsala, 1818. 

 Petrificata Telluris Svevanae examinata a G, Wahlenberg, 



New Series, vol. vi. g 



