322 Messrs. Jackson and Alger on the 
But, in'a few instances, it loses entirely its compact and homoge- 
neous appearance, and becomes a fragmentary compound similar 
to that already mentioned on the shore of St. Mary’s Bay, except- 
ing that it wants the greenish serpentine observed only at that 
place. One of the beds of quartz rock runs fifteen miles north 
of Halifax; two cross Bedford Basin ; and the fourth forms a part 
of the Peninsula included between Margaret’s Bay and Halifax 
harbour, where it presents itself to the ocean, and opposes an 
unyielding barrier against its mighty waves. It is not known 
how far these beds extend into the interior; but it is probable 
that they are continuous with the strata of slate, and are connected 
with the quartz rock on the shore of St. Mary’s Bay. 
It will appear evident we think, even setting aside its mineral 
composition, which alone is sufficient to determine its true char- 
acter, that this rock can have no claims to the title of trap, whether 
considered as secondary or primitive; for, by its stratification with 
and passage into the transition clay-slate, it is proved to be con- 
temporaneous with that rock, the strata of which it is never known 
to cross in dykes, as is ordinarily the case with trap rocks. Cer- 
tainly the term primitive, which we find applied to it in the work 
we have alluded to, is peculiarly unfortunate. We mention this, 
in the present instance, in order to set forth more plainly our 
reasons for having applied the term quartz rock to the aggregate 
in question, and, if possible, to avoid the charge of having mistaken 
its true character. These reasons, we trust, will be sufficient to ex- 
cuse us, in the minds of the gentlemen who drew up those re- 
marks, from any wish of calling in question, unnecessarily, the 
accuracy of their observations, as we assure them that truth on 
the subject is our only aim, even ifit come from a source that should 
expose the fallacy of our own views. The quartz rock, as we 
