334 Abunj. 



antiquities, in a communication to the Devizes Gazette, in June 1852, 

 says; " The composition of the Sarsens is nearly pure silex, that is, 

 they consist of fine silicious sand, agglutinated by a silicious cement 

 — -a process which may be familiarly illustrated by what may be 

 observed when a small quantity of water is dropped into a basin of 

 dry, granular sugar ; a portion of the sugar dissolves, and causes 

 the grains to adhere to each other, thus forming a mass which on 

 diying becomes solid. 



"They contain no carbonate of Kme, and the slight trace of oxide 

 of iron may be due to the infiltration of ferruginous particles 

 from the neighbouring soil, as it may be remarked that the exterior 

 of the stones only is stained with iron, the interior being generally 

 beautifully white. Mr. R. Clark, chemist, of Devizes, has recently 

 confirmed this opinion by a fresh analysis. They appear to contain 

 no saline particles whatever, and the dampness observed on walls 

 built with this material is due to the precipitation of the moisture 

 of the atmosphere upon the cold surface of the stone. 



" With regard to the origin of these remarkable masses of rock, 

 but few facts have been absolutely established. An examination of 

 the MSS. of Mr. Cunnington, the antiquary, has recently brought 

 to light the interesting fact that William Smith, "the father of 

 English geology," was the first who advanced the opinion, still held 

 by our leading geologists, that an extensive stratum of sand, con- 

 taining these stones, once covered the chalk in these districts; that 

 the softer portions were carried away by the action of water, leav- 

 ing the solid blocks behind, on the surface. 



"That they belong to the 'tertiary formations ' (the strata above 

 the chalk) is evident, from the fact that they frequently contain 

 chalk flints : these having been, in all probability, derived from the 

 destruction of elevated and exposed poi'tions of the challc stratum. 

 That the Sarsens were not transported from any great distance 

 would also appear from the circumstance that they are co-extensive 

 with and confined to, the surface of the chalk, from the wolds of 

 Yorkshire to the hills of Sidrao\ith in Devonshire. Instances, how- 

 ever, occur (although the contrary has lately been asserted) where, 

 as stated by Dr. Buckland, (Geol. Trans, vol. ii. p. 1), they have 



