43 



Old Red almost in the immediate neighbourhood of the 

 reptiliferous sandstones. In a portion of rock cropping up 

 in the flat to the west of Stotfield he found traces of 

 Holoptychius and Pterichthys, and then near Elgin fossils 

 considered at one time to be characteristic of the Old Red 

 and the New Red have been found in the same quarry, 

 although not in the same stratum. The question, there- 

 fore, has lost none of its interest by the discoveries made 

 in the district within the last few years, and it still awaits 

 a solution that will give general satisfaction. Besides 

 these fossils foot-prints are found not only at Lossiemouth, 

 but also in the rocks round the coast, as at the Gow's 

 Castle and at the Masonhaugh Quarry. These were 

 undoubtedly made by animals, but there is no satisfactory 

 evidence to connect them either with the fossils described 

 or with any known species. 



Another rock, very different from the fossiliferous 

 sandstones, and one well worthy of examination, is exposed 

 along the shore in the direction of Stotfield. It has 

 various designations, but it is generally known as the 

 Cherty Rock of Stotfield. It is a very peculiar and easily 

 recognisable rock, composed principally of calcareous and 

 siliceous materials. It was burned at one time for lime, 

 but it was found to be unsuitable for the purpose on account 

 of the quantity of Silica in it. It overlies the reptilifer- 

 ous sandstones, and the junctions of the two may be well 

 seen in the harbour opposite the Brander Arms Hotel. 

 This rock contains no fossils, but it has been considered an 

 important one in the attempt to decide the age of the 

 sandstones on stratigraphical grounds. The relation of 

 this rock to the Old Red in the neighbourhood is not quite 

 clear, and nowhere in Elginshire has the Cherty Rock been 

 seen covered by any other beds, but in Sutherland the case 

 is considered to be different. Some patches of rock near 



