206 Mr. R. Harkness on the position of tlie Impressions of 



is at an angle of 32^ W.S.W., and the beds are composed of la- 

 minae similar to those of the quarry at Corncockle. Some of the 

 beds are separated by thin layers of clay, and impressions occur 

 both on these and likewise on the fine faces of the beds. 



These are the localities from whence footmarks are obtained in 

 that portion of the new red sandstone which occupies the greatest 

 area in Dumfries-shire, and so great is the resemblance between 

 the deposits at these different localities, that in any of them we 

 have a representative of the beds containing impressions except 

 at Templand, where the rock is of a coarse nature, and appears 

 to occupy a higher position than at the other localities. A sand- 

 stone of a similar nature seems to overlie the flag rock at Green 

 Mill, as seen on the high ground above the quarry. 



Of the other area containing new red sandstone, and which 

 lies on the south-east side of the county, we find that it ofi'ers 

 on the whole characters which distinguish it from the new red 

 sandstone of the southern portion of the Vale of the Nith and the 

 district of Annandale. 



The formation is wrought extensively to the east of the river 

 Annan, and at the quarry of Corse Hill, about two miles from 

 the town of Annan, we have a good example of its general nature. 

 Here the dip is about 13° S.E., and the rock is composed of 

 several series of sandstone beds interstratified with beds of red 

 clay, some of which exceed 9 inches in thickness. The flags 

 which lie upon these clay beds have their under surface marked 

 in high relief with raised vermicular-like ridges, and these are 

 derived from the upper surface of the clay beds, and appear to 

 have resulted from the erosion of currents on the soft surface of 

 the clay. Amongst these markings, casts of the footprints of the 

 Cheirotherium are sometimes met with, and in some instances 

 marks of desiccation occur. In the adjoining parish of Kirk- 

 patrick Fleming, which lies eastward from Annan, the same beds 

 of sandstone and shale are obtained ; but here the red shales are 

 more abundant, and at Cove quarry in the same parish the colour 

 of the rock and the intercalated shales have undergone such an 

 entire change as to place them in connection with the infra-gyp- 

 seous clays of the Keuper sandstones. 



In the district occupied by the largest area of sandstone, viz. 

 the lower portion of the Vale of the Nith, and the more level parts 

 of Annandale, we have other deposits besides the flaggy beds 

 containing the impressions. These flaggy beds are succeeded by 

 deposits of a coarser-grained sandstone which appears to exceed 

 100 yards in thickness. Above this sandstone a singular con- 

 glomerate of about the same thickness occurs ; and on this con- 

 glomerate beds of fine soft sandstone repose, these latter being 

 the highest which the new red sandstone of the Vale of the Nith 



