174 KOTES ON THE GEOT.OGY OP EAST LOTHIAN AND BERWICKSHIRE. 



which the Old Red and Carboniferous rocks repose. The general inclination 

 is from the foot of the Lammermuir range towards the north-east, but the 

 descent is far from uniform. From the shores of the Frith of Forth the 

 country consists of a series of parallel ridges, running from west to east, and 

 successively increasing in altitude until they reach the Lammermuir Hills. 



The Old Red Sandstone forms a considerable portion of the district, and 

 generally rests upon Metamorphic rocks, and is covered by the Coal formation. 

 It is of a brownish red colour, though occasionally of a yellowish or grayish 

 white, gliding not unfrequently into a delicate bluish white, imparting, in 

 some places, a variegated aspect to the shore. It alternates from very fine 

 to very coarse granular, thus passing into the Conglomerate. The strata vary 

 from a few inches to several feet in thickness, and are generally inclined to 

 the horizon. The dip I have never seen to exceed 45", and the usual direction 

 is from north-east to south-west. The Lammermuir range, as I have already 

 said, is composed principally of Greywacke, or Silurian rocks, and the position 

 of the strata is nearly vertical. 



The harbour of Dunbar is situated in a red-coloured Trap rock, which 

 forms a large promontory. To the south-east of the harbour the coast is 

 low and sandy, consisting of Old Red Conglomerated Sandstone, Trap-tufa, 

 and Greenstone rock. The lower strata of the Sandstone are calcareous, 

 containing in the upper beds the impressions of vegetables, and in the lower 

 the remains of Encrinites, Producti, Terebratulce, etc. To the north-west of 

 the harbour the coast is more elevated and rugged, consisting of lofty cliffs 

 of red- coloured Trap-tufa, which are succeeded by others of red and white 

 Sandstone. From Belhaven Bay to North Berwick, the coast is low and 

 sandy with the exception of the small promontory of Whitberry Head and 

 Ravensheuo-h Craig. Dr. Macknight has described it as follows: — "It is a 

 Trap formation, apparently overlying, but in reality subordinate to, the Old 

 Red Sandstone, and consists of Basalt with crystals of Hornblende, red and 

 green Trap-tufa impregnated with Lime, beautiful Clinkstone, and Porphyry 

 Slate." This description is that of a true Wernerian, and is not in accordance 

 with the views now entertained. It appears really to have been a submarine 

 volcano the contents of which have burst through the Sandstones, and over- 

 flowed them. Many beautiful examples of this are to be seen along the 

 whole extent of coast already noticed, and the Sandstones may be observed 

 to be quite metamorphosed, having been indurated by the excessive heat of 

 the liquid rock, and present the appearance at first sight of compact Felspar."^ 

 About a mile north-west of Whitberry is the elevated rock called Ravensheugh 

 Craig consisting principally of Greenstone and Basalt, with crystals of Horn- 



* It must be observed and borne in mind that the whole of the lieadland which forms the 

 southern shore of the Frith of Forth is Trap, covered here and there, upon the coast, with 

 small patches of Old Red Sandstone and Carboniferous rocks, principally, however, the latter. 

 These I have no doubt, were raised from the point of their deposition by the Trap, and originiilly 

 covered it but by denudation have now nearly disappeared; but this will be entered into more 

 fully at the close of this paper. 



