38 Mr. Ferguson on the 



or less into contact with the gneiss: when the junction is complete 

 it is white. When the granite underlies the gneiss, but without any 

 union between them except contiguity, it assumes a dark colour, and 

 discovers more hornblende in its composition than in its other positions. 

 At one point the granite is graphic. The limestone is separated by a 

 fissure from the granite, but appears in one or two places united to the 

 gneiss ; and there is reason to believe that it forms a junction with the 

 granite at a more remote distance from the shore. At Hythie in the 

 parish of Old Deei", and in a line due west from Scotston Head, limestone 

 and granite of the same character as at the latter place, make their 

 appearance in very intimate union. At Blaekstones, between Scots- 

 ton rocks and Craig Ewen, there are three distinct congeries of large 

 boulders within the flood mark, consisting indiscriminately of granite, 

 graphic granite, primary and secondary limestone, puddingstone, grey- 

 wacke, gneiss, and basalt." 



I have copied these sentences fi-om the Statistical Account, and have 

 retained the words primary and secondary limestone, because I found them 

 there. I have, however, no evidence to give as to the distinction between 

 the limestone, further than that the description denominated secondary, 

 is said to contain ammonites and other shells, distinct from any of the 

 known existing species. 



In part of the parish, beneath the soil, the substratum consists of sand 

 mixed with the remains of marine testacea. There are also indications 

 along the coast that the land has been gaining upon the sea. 



The parish of Crimond carries on the coast two miles farther. Beach 

 and sand hills form the predominating feature, except at Eattray Head, 

 where there is a long ridge of low-lying rocks called Rattray Brigs, 

 running at right angles to the shore, and extending a mile and 

 three-quarters in an easterly direction, into the German ocean. Great 

 part of this ridge is only visible at low water. These rocks seem to 

 consist of granite. Whinstone or trap, and also limestone, occur in 

 various places. The principal feature of interest is the existence of a 

 large loch, called the Loch of Strabeg. In 1700 this loch was of very 

 small extent, and opened to the sea, so that small vessels could enter it. 

 About 1720, a severe easterly gale blew up this communication with 

 sand. The loch now covers an area of about 550 acres ; and it receives 

 all the streams of the neighbourhood. It has no outlet, and is wholly 

 fresh. Its average depth is about 3J feet, and it is being gradually filled 

 up by debris carried into it by the streams. I said there was no outlet, 

 but it is very apparent that the surplus waters find their way to the 

 sea, through the sandbank which separates the loch from the ocean. 

 This belt, however, is about half a mile in breadth. 



From Rattray point, four miles carries us over the sea board of Lonmay 

 parish, a flat sandy beach, trending considerably to the westward. Two 

 miles more cover the parish of Rathen, one point of which, that of 

 Cairnbulg, runs out northwards into the sea, the coast line receding 



