1823.] Rothetodtliegende and Weissliegende. 327 



All comprehended in one 

 general group, entitled 



or 



rothetodtliegende forma- 

 tion.* 



1 . Conglomerate of ancient rocks. 



2. Siliceous conglomerate. 

 3 to 8. Coal, sandstone, and shale. 



9. Trap rocks. j» the older sandstone, 



10. Clay ironstone. 



11. Rothliegende. 



12. Weissliegende. 



Now what is the observation of Freiesleben upon this series ? 

 He says it is too general, and not sufficiently distinct, and, 

 therefore, for the sake of greater clearness and precision, he 

 considers it necessary to describe the rothliegende and the coal 

 formation under separate heads; and he arranges the subject 

 accordingly, as displayed in the synoptical table, leaving for his 

 third and last division the account of the occurrence and 

 distribution of the series in general. 



It is obvious from the structure of that table, that coal is con- 

 sidered by him in a general point of view as a member of the 

 older sandstone or rothetodtliegende series ; and so far he conti- 

 nues to adhere to the arrangement of his predecessors. But he 

 qualifies this general view by a more particular one, expressed 

 in the following words : " I have throughout my present exposi- 

 tion considered the rothliegende and the true coal tracts (eigent- 

 liche steinkohlengebirge, with siliceous conglomerate, slate-clay, 

 and bituminous shale), as tioo very closely allied formations, but 

 which ought nevertheless to be distinguished from each other. 

 And hence in my descriptions I always make a distinction 

 between the true coal tracts, and those single beds of coal that occur 

 incidentally subordinate to the rothliegende." t This particular 



* The series given above is also quoted by Mr. Conybeare, on which that gentleman 

 observes, " If we look among these rocks for the representative of our own old red 

 sandstone, it must be sought in No. 1 and 2, not in No. 1 1 ; " an observation in which 

 I perfectly agree with him, since it is one of the points for which I have been contend, 

 ing; in confirmation of which I have to observe, that No. 1 and 2 of that series do in 

 fact represent the lowest portion of the rothliegende of Freiesleben. 



But that Karsten's group is to be considered as a general type of the older sandstone 

 series, and not as expressing with precision the order of succession throughout, appears 

 evident from the introduction of trap rocks and clay ironstone under Nos. 9 and 10. 

 The two principal members of the series are first expressed, namely, the old red sand- 

 stone by No. 1 and 2, and the coal formation by No. 3 to 8. Then trap and clay iron- 

 stone are noticed, the former as being incidental both to the old red sandstone and to the 

 coal formation, and thelatter as more peculiarly belonging to the coal formation. With 

 respect to the rothliegende, No. 11,1 must repeat that it is in this position a term, 

 denoting the upper portion of the coal measures, where interstratified with and divided 

 by red sandstone on a greater or smaller scale as one of its members. And lastly, with 

 regard to the weissliegende No. 12, I must also repeat that this formation had been con- 

 sidered as the uppermost bed of the older sandstone series by most German writers, 

 until Freiesleben demonstrated that it was the lowest member of the succeeding alpine 

 limestone formation (answering to the English magnesian limestone), thus corresponding 

 with the calcareous or new conglomerate of England. 



+ I give the original passage in this place. " In meiner gegenwartigen darstellung 

 habe ich jederzeit die formation des rothliegenden und die eigentlichen steinkohlenge- 



