262 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



" This matter of fact did discover the generation 

 of mosses, and whence it is that many mosses are 

 furnished with such timber." 



From the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. 

 Number 330. (April, May and June, 17 11.) 



The Forest of Braemore having offered the use 

 of such a splendid name to conjure with as that 

 of the late distinguished geologist, Sir Roderick 

 Murchison, the author feels it would be throwing 

 away a chance if he failed to avail himself of the 

 opportunity of saying something about the geology 

 of Braemore which will apply equally to all the 

 forests of the west coat, as well as to many of 

 those on the east. The whole of this ground 

 belongs then to the Upper Gneiss or Lower 

 Silurian series of rocks, which are stratified, and 

 at the synclinal and anti-synclinal ridges are flexured 

 and contorted in a very remarkable manner. The 

 composition of the rocks is quartz, felspar, and mica, 

 which in some parts is highly garnetiferous. Where 

 it takes the form of mica slate it splits into laminae 



