Geology of England and Wales y''' i|/-c. 223 



through the liberality of Gen. Van Rensselaer.* Our ge- 

 ologists will thus be prevented from assigning new names 

 to those numerous aggregates, which occur in the United 

 States, to which no specific designation has yet been given; 

 and be also saved the mortification, of seeing their new 

 terms treated as the offspring of ignorance, or arrogance. 

 We trust, however, that no man will attempt a new no- 

 menclature of our secondary rocks, until he has proved, 

 that ihey cannot be referred to any of the series of forma- 

 tions which the work under review presents. 



A rock occurs in New-Englandj along Connecticut river, 

 which agrees in external characters with the red marie ; 

 and it has a similar relation to the old red sand stone with 

 that rock, and beneath it are found fish impressions, said by 

 Mj. Brongniarf to resemble exactly those found in the bi- 

 tuminous marie slate of Germany. But there are found, 

 in tlie series of rocks with which this is connected, no traces 

 of salt, or gypsum, and very httle limestone ; so that it is 

 very doubtful whether this rock be the red marie. 



Mediae or Carboniferous Order. — This embraces the 

 rocks usually kru.wn by the name ol the Coal Formation ; 

 together with two or three others beneath them, and so 

 intimately connected with them, both geographically and 

 geologically, that they cannot be separated. 



Coal Measures. — These comprehend that great and 

 principal deposit of coal, which lies between the newer 

 red, or saliferous sandstone, and the great carboniferous 

 limestone and older sandstone formations. This, it is well 

 known, is the Independent Coal Formation of the Werne- 

 rians. "The coal measures consist of a series of alterna- 

 ting beds of coal, slate clay, and sandstone ; the alterna- 

 tions being frequently and indefinitely repeated." 



"The slate-clay of the coal-measures differs from clay 

 slate by its less solid and indurated state ; it is known in 

 different colleries by the names of black or blue metal, 

 shale, clunch, cleft, bind, etc." 



"The sandstones of the coal measures are usually gritty, 

 micaceous, and tender ; they afford freestones for buiiduigs, 



*We have been authentically informed, that Gen. V. R. enquired of Mr 

 E. what might be the probable expencs of such a survey ; and on bein;? an- 

 swered, that it would not exceed $5000, he directed the work to be under- 

 taken. Such munificence certainly deserves this publ c mention of the 

 fact ; and it augurs well for the cause ofgeolo°;y in this country. 



