306 Messrs. Jackson and Alger on the 
having already spoken of the boulders of this rock. This is 
the only rock in Nova Scotia having any claim to the title of 
primitive. It first appears along the South mountains, a few 
miles east from Bridgetown, generally in large detached masses, 
which are piled in confused heaps on their sides, or have been 
precipitated into the valley beneath. Between Bridgetown 
and the village of Annapolis, it occurs in place, and forms, 
for nearly the whole extent, the abrupt and barren mountains, 
which, having a rude outline, are contrasted with those com- 
posed entirely of slate, which present rounded and gently sloping 
sides. It also appears on the road from Annapolis to Clement’s, 
in immense cubical blocks, which contain disseminated masses 
of chlorite and manganesian garnet. The latter is not distinctly 
crystallized, and being of a fragile nature, few interesting speci- 
mens were obtained. These are the only imbedded minerals 
known to exist init, as it does not contain metalliferous com- 
pounds of any kind. 
The component ingredients of this rock are not united in very 
uniform proportions; the mica, of a brilliant jet black, enters 
largely into its composition. The felspar is sometimes of a flesh- 
color, and the quartzy concretions are translucent and vitreous. 
The rock has a brecciated appearance, and includes masses of 
granite of a different nature from itself, These masses appear 
frequently in patches of a finer grain and darker color, than the 
surrounding granite, from which they differ only in this respect. 
The felspar of this granite is exceedingly prone to decay, and 
decomposes rapidly, on the exposed surface of the rock, inso- 
much that large quantities of angular fragments of the quartz are 
profusely scattered around, and constitute, by this débris, the 
first rudiments of the soil. The protruding angular fragments of 
