16 Gold Region of North Carolina. 
idea, when we find them designated by this title. Iam, for 
1y own part, becoming very sceptical on the subject of gen- 
eral strata, and more and more inclined to believe that 
causes similar perhaps, but not identical ; and limited in 
their operations, have produced the rock formations of differ- 
ent countries. If so, it will be vain to look for the different 
members of an European series on this side of the Atlantic. 
Every part of the crust of the globe will require a nomencla- 
ture of its own, similar to that which Professor Eaton has 
found it necessary to apply to the tract along the grand ca- 
nal. But when entire kingdoms or continents, are brought 
under review at once, we shall need a few great divisions, 
answering somewhat the purpose of the classes and families 
in botany and zoology, to designate the relations of extensive 
series of strata to each other, and for answering this purpose 
I do not’see that any preferable to those that have been long 
in use are likely to be immediately invented. 
If the class shall be retained, it does not appear that there 
is any other to which these rocks can be so properly referred. 
1. Because they lie adjacent to a formation itself apparently 
one of the recent members of the primitive; than which 
they are more recent. 2. Because of their mineralogical 
characters already mentioned. Indeed it is such a forma- 
tion as this that I would select in preference to any other, to 
stand asa type of the class. The absence of crystalline 
mixed rocks, granite, gneiss and mica slate, and the pres- 
ence of an earthy looking clay slate and of conglomerate al- 
ternating with it, separate the formation by a wide remove 
from the primitive, as does the absence of organic remains 
from the secondary. At the same time, I believe it to be 
very ancient. If the name of slate shall be thought safer and 
more appropriate, no considerable objection can be raised. 
It will be understood hereafter, that it is a slate alternating 
with conglomerate rocks, and that though the greater part of 
the strata of which it is composed are slaty, this is by no 
means true of them all. 
Appearing as it does, on both sides of the old red sand- 
stone, and with the same characters, at the Grassy Islands in 
ichmond, and in the southern part of Montgomery, and on 
thie South Carolina line, it will not be doubted that it under- 
les that formation, at least in this part of its course, or that 
Hter plun; ing under the sand, it is still the same slate that 
presents itself on both sides of the Pedee, and in its bed at 
