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30 Geology and Mineralogy of a part of Massachusetts, &c. 
through the transition argillite, as this rock lies upon the 
gneiss, both north and south. Examination would show 
whether the argillite lies along the east side of the High- 
lands also. Until the examination be made, the Highlands 
may as well be considered a part of the primitive range of 
the west side of Lake Champlain, as of that of New-Eng- 
land. 
ORES. 
The principal ores in this section are those of iron and 
manganese. The two are associated at the beds. of ore, 
but the latter is not found, in quantity, except at Benning- 
ton, Vt. The large beds of iron ore are in Salisbury, West- 
Stockbridge, Richmond, Lenox, and Bennington. [It will 
be seen by the map that these beds lie almost in a direct 
line, whichis nearly parallel with the western boundary of 
Mass. That of Kent, in Con. lies but a little east of this 
line. Beds of iron ore are found, on the same line, 
north of Bennington, at least to Brandon, in Vermont, and 
southward to Amenia, N. ¥Y.* ‘These beds are near lime- 
stone, but on beds of clay, and covered only with the com- 
mon earth. ‘The situation of allis very similar. As mica- 
slate is found on both sides of them, they must doubtless be 
considered.as lying in this rock, though the clay indicates 
that they are a later deposite than the rock itself. 
Oxide of manganese is found also on the east side of Sad- 
dle Mt. in mica-slate. Near this, has been: taken also 
some sulphuret of lead. The place is concealed by the 
discoverers. 
The bed of oxide of manganese, announced in this Jour- 
nal, Vol. IV. p. 189, I have not yet been able to discover. 
The bed of iron and manganese, mentioned in the Geolo- 
gy of the Northern States, page 124, [have not visited. It 
lies on the general line just mentioned. 
Loose masses of iron ore, similar to that at Salisbury, Le- 
nox, &c. are found occasionally in most of the towns along 
this line of iron ore beds. 
This line, it-will be observed, runs several degrees east of 
north. It seems to have little connexion with the varia- 
tion of the magnetic needle, as this variation upon both 
* Tn this same line, still farther south, in Pawlings, N. Y., isa similarly 
situated bed of iron ore, as yet but little explored. C. H. 
