512 EGG. GEOLOGY. 



shore at the bay of Lagg, and but slightly elevated above 

 it near Balinakily. The accompanying diagram will ren- 

 der this order of arrangement more intelligible. From 

 this dip it results that the lower beds become excluded 

 in proceeding either way from the point now mentioned ; 

 while, at the same time, they are often rendered invisible 

 where they might otherwise be seen, in consequence of 

 the fall of the superincumbent rocks, and the heaps of 

 loose matter and grassy slopes by which they are covered. 

 Hence, it becomes impossible to trace these beds for any 

 considerable distance without interruption, and conse- 

 quently to perceive the points at which they undergo the 

 changes visible in many parts of them. I may add to 

 this difficulty, those arising from the inaccessible nature 

 of the greater part of these cliffs. The changes to which 

 I have here alluded, although numerous and remarkable, 

 are however partial, being limited to particular places; 

 the general arrangement of the stratified rocks continuing 

 the same throughout as it is represented in the diagram. 

 The chief variations to be observed occur in the fourth 

 bed in the vicinity "of the bay of Lagg. At that place 

 many other beds of trap are to be seen interposed among 

 the limestone and shale, while some flexion of the latter 

 may also be observed ; a circumstance otherwise of very 

 rare occurrence here, since the whole maintain a general 

 parallelism throughout, in nearly one plane. 



It is in this place that fibrous limestone is found ; occur- 

 ring in numerous thin beds mixed with common blue lime- 

 stone and with shale, or (to judge from mere specimens) 

 argillaceous schist; since this rock frequently assumes 

 the characters of the most common varieties of clay slate. 

 It is fruitless to attempt a description of these alterna- 

 tions, since they are extremely inconstant ; varying indeed 

 to the eye in the space of a few feet, and becoming com- 

 plicated in so many different ways as to surpass all power 

 of description. The fibrous, like the compact limestone, 

 is either of a dark lead blue, or of a pale smoke colour, 



