294 Geology of Scandinavia. 



might obtain in the works published on these countries. Not- 

 withstanding the obliging assistance afforded to me in my re- 

 searches by the naturalists of the expedition, and the kindness 

 of M. Eugene Robert in particular, who communicated to me 

 the notes which he himself had made from a great variety of 

 sources, important points might still have escaped us. I there- 

 fore addressed myself to M. Leopold de Buch who, about 

 thirty years ago, himself brought the light of science to bear 

 on these countries which it is proposed to submit to new inves- 

 tigations ; and in the following instructions I shall always place 

 in the first rank the indications of this illustrious traveller. 



1. Hypersthene Rocks, — Among the most important rocks to 

 collect, M. de Buch mentions the hypersthene rocks, which give 

 a particular character to the maritime portion of the great chain 

 of the Kiolen. The hypersthene sienite is a very large granular 

 rock, and occurs in inconsiderable chains, which rise to the height 

 of several thousand feet. It is particularly in the environs of 

 Bergen that it presents itself in colossal forms, and there also 

 it is of very easy access. The Samnanger-fiord, six or eight 

 leagues from Bergen, in an easterly direction, is separated from 

 that town by a very steep chain of hypersthene rocks, which ex- 

 tends so far as Ous, due south of Bergen. A similar chain has 

 been discovered by M. Esmark, near Tons on the Glommen, 

 in the vicinity of Roraas, that is to say, quite in the interior of 

 the country. 



These hypersthene rocks are again met with on the Alt-Eid, 

 in the 70th degree of latitude, and, finally, they occur anew 

 at the North Cape, but not on the promontory itself : it is ne- 

 cessary to penetrate into the interior of the isle of Mageroe, 

 where I have seen them, says M. de Buch, especially on the 

 heights of Honigvoogeid. The whole profile of the beds from 

 Kielvig to the North Cape is very curious, and is well worthy 

 of being examined with particular attention. 



For some time past an English company has been working 

 some copper-mines in Refsboten near Alten, about the 70th 

 degree of latitude ; and I believe also, says M. de Buch, in a 

 hypersthene rock, which is very fine granular. 



The study of these very fine granular hypersthene rocks would 

 be very interesting. M. Gustave Rose, in describing the veins 



