1823.] Rothetodtliegende and Weissliegende. 333 



5. True coal formations do occur in the districts of Ihlefeld, 

 Opperode, and Petersberge ; beside those which are found in 

 Upper Saxony, Silesia, Bohemia, Thiiringerwald, &c. 



Now if we are to consider the coal formation, properly so 

 called, and the carboniferous series in general, as excluded from 

 the plan of Freiesleben's work (and as a necessary consequence 

 from the works of Von Buch, Reuss, Von Raumer, &c. also) ; 

 I should wish to be informed in what book or books, and in 

 what specific form of words, any description of the carboniferous 

 series of Germany is to be met with ? 



Contrast these inconsistencies with the following simple view 

 of Freiesleben, extending from the Hartz to the Banks of the 

 Saale, taken in an ascending order, and for the abstracted 

 details of which I refer to the descriptions given in the Annals 

 of Philosophy, Aug. 1822, p. 83—91. 



1 . The rothliegende, in its loivest position, reposes on the tran- 

 sition tracts, into which it graduates in a manner. 



N. B. It thus represents the old red sandstone of the English. 



2. The rothliegende contains incidentally single beds of coal, 

 also beds of limestone, and beds of porphyry. 



N. B. Impressions of monocotyledonous plants occur in asso- 

 ciation with the coal. 



3. The preceding form the basis of the coal formation, pro- 

 perly so called. 



4. The coal formation, properly so called, consists of the 

 usual coal measures, which alternate with beds of porphyry, and 

 beds of rothliegende of greater or less extent (the latter being the 

 red sandstone of the higher position). 



N. B. This red sandstone of the higher position is exclusively 

 designated by Mr. Conybeare as the rothetodtliegende, and as 

 the first member of the saliferous series, in direct opposition to 

 the general language of Freiesleben. The remains of monocoty- 

 ledonous plants occur in the above association ; whereas those 

 of dicotyledonous plants appear in the gypseous and saliferous 

 series. 



All the preceding constitute together the older sandstone, or 

 rothetodtliegende, formation or series. 



5. The weissliegende, or new conglomerate, overlies the 

 rothetodtliegende series, from which it is wholly distinct, form- 

 ing the first member of the gypseous and saliferous series. It 

 contains no formation of coal, nor any formation of porphyry.* 



I think it needless to pursue this subject further ; persuaded 

 that the explanations already given of the expressions " the 

 older sandstone, or rothetodtliegende formation," on the one 

 hand, and the " weissliegende " on the other, may supersede 



• The new conglomerate of England also contains no formation of coal, and probably 

 none of porphyry either. I have given my reasons, on a former occasion, for suggesting 

 that the conglomerate and sandstone associated with amygdaloidal trap in Devonshire, 

 may be referable to a much earlier era.— (See Annals of Philosophy, Aug. 18S2, p. 94.) 



