5gI 6n the i'ORMA'no^^ OF Rocks. rjuif- 



■^votild not have been discovered liad tlie roofing slate, 

 like the other shist, been unfit for the covering of hou~ 

 ^6«; as the mode of decomposition on the surface would 

 have desirojfed those impresgions, they might have re- 

 mained for c(liituritis before we could have observed 

 them) and all this sliist formation would have been 

 then colisidered as belonging to the primitive; and as 

 originating before the existence of any organic matter. 



May nol our wants, compelling us to quarry other 

 i^ocks, joined to a much more accurate mode of exam- 

 ination, discover the remains of organic matter in rocks 

 until now considered primitive; ^vhich might entirely 

 change all the present theories of the formation of the 

 earth, and prove how dependent tiiose conjectural the- 

 ori<is are on the smallest discovery that might be made 

 bv the attelitiou and observation of a stone-mason? 



I found the roofing slate near St; Maria, not far from 

 the gypsuiii) between Airolo and Disentis, to be a 

 hlack carbonated transition slate ; on the passage of the 

 Fourche ; roofing slate containing pyritous impressions 

 bf fish, at Elattcnburg^ half a league from Matt, in tlie 

 Cantoil of Glaris; roofing slate, containing shells, near 

 Meyrcngeu in the Canton of Ecrne; roofing slate at An- 

 gei*^ 5 the Ardennes ; in Wales, in England ; in various 

 parts of the transition in the United States of America, 

 ^c, and most probably to be found in some part of eve- 

 ry cousidel'able formation of transition; tliough tbe 

 knowledge and industry of the inhabitants, may not 

 have yet applied the slate to any useful purpose, and of 

 course it lies concealed in the mass of other rocks^ 

 till now couBidered of no use, unwroiiglit raid un- 

 kaowiik 



