On Red Sandstone. 67 



was startled by a tremeiulous explosion, attended by volumes 

 of smoke and sulphui'ous odours. 



Three years since, on being informed of these particulars. 

 Dr. Bigsby visited the place. It is half a mile within the 

 woods north of the road from Brookville to Kingston, near 

 to the easternmost of two creeks, about ten miles from the 

 former town. 



He found, on the summit of a quartzose mound from 30 to 40 

 feet high, a round cavity, 12 feet deep, 12 long, and 9 broad. 

 Its sides consisted of very shattered quartz, spotted brown by 

 oxide of iron, and covered profusely with acicular yellow and 

 white crystals of sulphur. The lower parts of the cavity were 

 studded with masses of iron pyrites, of which there is a vein 

 at the bottom of the cavity. It is a foot and a half thick, and 

 disseminates itself into the surrounding quartz. This vein 

 may be seen, running east with a very high dip, to the distance 

 of a yard and a half. 



Similar phaenomena have been noticed in a mountain in 

 Vermont {vide American Journal of Science for Feb. 1821), 

 and in the country towards the head of ihe Missouri [vide 

 Travels, of Captains Lewis and Clarke). — Geol.Trans.ip- 209. 



ON RED SANDSTONE. 



As much discussion has taken place among geologists within 

 these few years respecting the various formations of Red Sand- 

 stone, we think it may be useful to give the opinion on the 

 subject of Professor Buckland and the Rev. W. D. Conybeare, 

 as stated, with a concise but comprehensive view of its history, 

 in their Observations on the South-western Coal District of 

 England; Geol. Trans, sec. ser. p. 314. 



In the south-western coal-district of England we have three 

 formations of red sandstone, the newer red sandstone, the 

 millstone grit, and the old red sandstone, all liable to be con- 

 founded with one another, owing to their prevailing red colour 

 and to their containing beds of conglomerate ; and as similar 

 rocks occur, very similarly placed, in various })arts of the 

 earth's surface, we find three opinions nuiintained concerning 

 red sandstone, and each moret)ver supported by indisputable 

 facts : one, that it lies over the coal-measures ; another, that 

 it lies beneath them ; and a third, that it is a member of the 

 coal-fornuition 



The term old red sandstone was origiruiUy applied by Wer- 

 ner to a formation analogous in character and geological po- 

 sition to oiir newer red sandstone. Examples of the rothe 

 todte Liegende, or old red sandstone of Werner, lying over 

 the coal-measures, may be seen at Norhauscn on the borders 



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