206 EXPEDITION TO THE 



From what lias been previously observed on tlic com- 

 parative age of the limestone of the Wassemon with the 

 formations of Europe, we readily discover that this sand- 

 stone cannot be older than the variegated sandstone, (Bunt 

 sandstein,) of Werner, and we have reason to consider it as 

 an analogous formation. This of course corresponds with 

 the new red sandstone or red marl of English geologists. 

 In this formation in England the red marl certainly pre- 

 dominates; we are not, however, to be surprised if in 

 America we should find the marl almost deficient, and the 

 sandstone in its place ; for it cannot be expected that the 

 same uniformity, which exists between the primitive or 

 general formations of the old and new continent, will be ob- 

 served between the secondary or partial formations ; if we 

 can trace a general resemblance, we have perhaps gone 

 further than we were justified in expecting. With the va- 

 riegated sandstones of Germany this formation presents a 

 great analogy, and perhaps its most remarkable difierence, 

 though undoubtedly a very trifling one in reality, is in the 

 colour, which is seldom red, though it occasionally be- 

 comes so. This, among many other instances, proves the 

 great desideratum that geologists should agree upon names 

 more intelligible and less arbitrary than those which have 

 been usually adopted; if the formations of Europe and 

 America are to be compared, (and the daily progress of 

 science proves that even those of Asia and Africa will soon 

 be suificiently investigated to enable us to take them into 

 consideration,) we ought to have better names than those 

 derived from the most fugitive of all characters, that of 

 colour. 



The limestone formation, the existence of which above 

 the sandstone we think we have been enabled to establish, 

 appears to us from its mineralogical as well as its geologi- 



