20 Sketch of the Geology of Northern Russia. 
discharge their waters through the Neva into the gulf of Finland- 
The Dina or Dwina collects the waters from the north east, and is 
lost in the White Sea at Archangel. 
The hills bordering the plain of Novogorod, are of red and grey 
marbled clay, resembling the red mar] of central Russia. _ Limestone 
and sandstone form the bed of the river Msta. Opposite, and east 
of the river, thé sand appears in horizontal strata, contaming “ an ag- 
glomerate of charred wood and every sort of geode.” Some of its 
concretions resemble Egyptian pebbles, and are of a siliceous char- 
acter; above this are beds of red and yellow sand; the next beds 
are blue limestone containing madrepores. Impressions of large 
tufts of pentacrinite cover the surface of the limestone strata, bend- 
ing in every direction. The blue limestone also contains minute 
corallines, and other fossils. 
Central salt district. 
- Near the most northern bend of the Volga, which, for a short dis- 
tance, runs east from its source in the Valday Hills, the face of the 
country is of loose red sand, in many places blown into waves, and 
ridges by the winds, and destitute of herbage. When cultivated it 
yields flax, rye, and wheat in abundance. Bowlders of primitive and 
siliceous rocks are strewed over the bed of the river which is shallow, 
but it soon receives such accessions from the Tvetza, Mologa, and 
Shexna, as to become a mighty stream. Its banks acquire new fea- 
tures rising into lofty precipices, and falling into deep ravines—the red 
rocks exchange their sandy character for the argillaceous, which com- 
monly distinguishes the salt formations. The sandy surface appears 
at intervals, and marl is discovered at the depth of a few feet, of a 
deep red color, though sometimes of a greenish gray or white, pro- 
ducing the richest pastures, and the deepest verdure in Russia. The 
soil is peculiarly favorable to flax, and it is worthy of remark, that a 
sumilar soil yields the finest quality produced in the northern districts. 
| The same formation continues to Kostroma, in lat. 57° N. 41° E. 
long. where both the riches and the scenery of the country are of 
surpassing value and beauty. In the neighborhood of Kostroma, 
noble oaks border the margin of the Volga, and the scene is varied 
with towns and villages. “Red marl and sand are here found in 
Bes : 
suiu ;” and salt springs are of frequent occurrence, throughout the 
government of Kostroma. 
See aN AT Tg ke ae 
