138 Dr Murray wi the Natural History of Alford. 



As to the loose stones, scattered over the face of the country, I may observe, 

 that though for the most part granite, variously altered by the weather, the 

 proportion of pretty pure felspar and of quartz is among them greater than in 

 the rocks of the district. It may be added, though not having myself attend- 

 ed to the point, I cannot give an opinion regarding it, that Mr Farquhar- 

 son, minister of Alford, has assured me that the loose stones are almost in- 

 variably portions of rock lying to the north-west ; and that, consequently, from 

 the quarter just alluded to, a flood, or some other mighty agent, had, at one 

 time, passed over Alford, carrying these stones from their native beds to the 

 spots which they at present occupy. 



Though it is no part of the present plan to dwell upon the neighbouring 

 districts, it may be observed, that in them I have met with nothing relating 

 to the rocks, worthy of record, unless, perhaps, what follows. Upon advan- 

 cing higher in Aberdeenshire, into the parishes of Strathdon and Glenbucket, 

 hornblende is met with more frequently than in Alford. In that quarter 

 the hornblende and quartz are mixed in large irregular masses, while some- 

 times an immediately contiguous part of the same piece exhibits the exact 

 appearance of the stone composing the statues deposited by Belzoni in the 

 British Museum, which are reckoned characteristic specimens of the Egyp- 

 tian syenite. Limestone is found in many places of the parishes just men- 

 tioned, and is sometimes so hard as to be susceptible of a polish, and receive 

 the name of marble ; but I have seen none whose colour is so good as to render 

 it of value as an ornamental stone. In Towie, also, this rock is much more 

 common than in the Alford districts. 



The quarry of Kildrummy, known there by the name offreest(me, so dif- 

 ferent from the other rocks in the neighbourhood, should not pass without 

 some notice. This is a sandstone appearing to consist of argillaceous earth, 

 coloured in various places with iron, and studded with grains of quartz and 

 mica ; and in various parts of which small rounded and angular portions of 

 quartz and of gneiss may be observed. The particular formation to which 

 this sandstone belongs I had no opportunity of determining *. 



The rock of a remarkable hill that I met with in Strathdon, which is known 

 hy the name of the Green HUl^ and runs across a small valley or glen in that pa- 

 rish, is next to be mentioned. This is a bed of serpentine of a dull dark-green 

 colour, appearing, in various places, in the form of a bare rock, with much of 

 the star-like aspect, that gives the name of trap to rock of a different descrip- 

 tion. The same mineral is found, as I know from a specimen in my posses- 

 sion, at no great distance from the spot first mentioned, namely, at a hill called 

 Towanreef. I have also seen it more recently in several parts of the parish 

 of Leslie ; and have reason to believe that it extends still farther towards the 

 sea, at least that it is to be found in the parish of Premnay. These masses 

 of serpentine are much the same as the stone in Banffshire, which, from be- 

 ing at one time exported in considerable quantity, is well known by the name 

 of Portsoy marble ; but the Aberdeenshire serpentine wants the hardness 

 and colour which constitute the value of that from Portsoy. The case, 

 indeed, is different with respect to part of the rock in the parish of Leslie, 



• It is one of the sandstones interposed between the coal formation and the lias limestone. 



