Geology^ ^c. of the Connecticut. Tf 



high, evincinsrby its white and naked head that it is gneiss 

 or granite. On visiting it, he will find it to be a fine grained 

 granite. In many parts, however, he will perceive such a 

 tendency to stratification, that he may doubt for a mo- 

 ment whether it be not gneiss. But upon examination he will 

 refer it to granite. The same remark will apply to granite 

 in many other parts of New-England. It seems, and proba- 

 bly is, in many instances, intermediate between well char- 

 acterized granite and gneiss. 



Black Mountain is not many miles in circuit, and 'on the 

 north and west, is succeeded by well characterized gneiss. 

 This gneiss is quarried and forms underpinning and step 

 stones ; specimens of which may be seen in the foundation 

 of the Meeting bouse in Brattleborough, East Villa^^e. 



On Black Mountain I noticed some interesting lichens. 

 The most monopolizing of these, are the Gysophoras. G. 

 vellea, papulose and muMenbergii ; (Acharius) in some in- 

 stances actually cover precipices 30 or 40 feet high, and 

 crowd one another notwithstanding, so as to force up their 

 broad margins, giving them the appearance of a chapeau de 

 bras. These species are found also on the granite in Mon- 

 tague, and on the greenstone in Deerfield, where occurs al- 

 so g. deusta. On Black Mountain I likewise noticed in 

 abundance Enclocarpon miniaium <Ach. and several species 

 of Parmelia and Lecidea. Near its top grows Milium in- 

 volutum (nov. sp. Torrey, MSS.j 



I cannot but detain the reader a moment to explain the 

 strange nomenclature by which those were governed who 

 originally gave to this granitic peak the name of Black 

 Mountain. Every body in passing is struck with its snow 

 white aspect, and cannot help enquiring the cause of it. I 

 was told that in early days, it was burnt over and derived its 

 specific appellation from this circumstance. Thus an acci- 

 dental and ephemeral fact has fastened a name upon it 

 which its constant appearance belies. 



A similar remark might be made in regard to the name 

 of another mountain in the same vicinity. A person stand- 

 ing in Brattleborough East Village, perceives directly east 

 of him, on the east bank of Connecticut river, a venerable 

 mountain 800 or 900 feet high, seeming almost to threaten 

 him with its overhanging fragments. On enquiring the 



