148 



The conglomerates of the Old Red Sandstone are developed upon an enormous 

 scale in the Highlands, composing whole mountain ranges. I traced them from 

 the Hebrides by the north-west coast round Cape Wrath, and along the 

 north and north east coasts as far as Aberdeenshire. They then run on the south 

 side of the Grampians, and gradually slide down under the coal measures of Fife- 

 shire and Stirlingshire. If you have any geological news to tell me, I hope you 

 will write to me at Cambridge, where I expect to be next week. 



Believe me, my dear Sir, 



Very truly yours, 



A. SEDGWICK. 



J'rotn Professor Sedgwick. 



Trinity College, January 26th, 1828. 



My dear Sir, — 



I was much obliged by the receipt of your plan of the mountains, etc., 

 near Buttermere, and shall endeavour to turn it to some account. But I shall hope 

 to see you during next summer, and we may perhaps be enabled to make a Short 

 excursion together. 



I know you were formerli/ sceptical about the conglomerate of MeU Fell, etc. 

 Now the fact is — that it appears just where you would expect it if it were inferior 

 to the mountain limestone — that it contains no pebbles of that rock — that close to 

 Shap Abbey, and in one or two other places it is actually seen under the limestone. 

 It may in some places contain concretions of Umestone, which might be mistaken for 

 pebbles. If this be the case, it resembles the old red conglomerate of the west of 

 England, which has subordinate calcareous stony concretions sometimes in large 

 beds, which are worked for the roads, and called comstone. Wherever I have seen 

 the new red conglomerate near the mountain limestone, it has been half made up of 

 that rock. 



I have lately been reducing my observations on a part of the Hebrides. I am 

 now finishing a paper on the Magnesian limestone which I have had on hand for years. 

 On comparing my results with the observations in Central Germany, I find the 

 agreement between the contemporaneous deposits more exact than I ever expected 

 The great sub-divisions are nearly the same, and the fossils are almost identical. 



As soon as I have finished what I have in hand, I mean to attack the Skiddaw 

 region, with the help of your beautiful map. The mineralogy I however find 

 extremely perplexing and difficult. I had a copy of your Map of the Lake District, 

 but I have mislaid it ; would you have the goodness to send me your latest edition 

 of it. You may send it, and direct it as a letter. I will pay you for it when we 

 meet. Present my respectful remembrances to Mr. Southey, and my best wishes 

 to Charles Wright. 



Very truly yours, 



A. SEDGWICK. 



