I860. wai.i. — VENEZUELA A.vn TitiNi i>\n. 465 



hard and softer layers. A massive limestone forming the heights 

 south of Cariaco, may correspond to the Caripe stratum; this sup- 

 position, how ever, did not admit of verification. 



With regard to the distribution, west of the province of Barcelona 

 this formation forms a hilly band, rarely Less than 30 miles in width, 

 not comprising elevations of more than 4000 feet, and consisting of 

 a great repetition of thin Layers or beds. To the east, on the contrary, 

 the members are frequently of colossal proportions, and the principal 

 summits much more elevated, attaining, fortheCerros de Snmni- 

 quiri, de Tionia, de San Augustan, and del Bergantin, respectively, 

 71 L9feet, 7146 feet, 6000 feet,and5784 feet, 'i'lie extreme breadth 



varies from 35 to 4U miles. 



In Trinidad a narrow belt of the system traverses the centre, and 

 small fragments occur in the southern localities of the Island. The 

 < Levations are limited to 900 feet. 



The sections attached to this notice will suffice to express how 

 Intensely the formation has been disturbed. The trend is usually 

 E. and W.. or parallel with that of the "Caribbean System;" hut 

 there are frequent exceptions, the deviation amounting even to 4")°, 

 with a N".E. strike; in Trinidad it isalmosl constantly 20 .V of ES. 



A- already stated, the fossils Can rarely lie separated from their 



matrix ; fortunately a few specimens sufficiently characteristic were 

 obtained at Bourdones, near Cumami, and are considered by Mr. 

 EStheridge as certainly belonging to the Cretaceous period*. Whe- 

 ther this formation, like the extensive deposits . » t" New Granada, is 

 ofNeocomian age, must he determined by future researches, first 



observed near the gulf dividing Trinidad from the main, and the 

 geological position being uncertain, it was distinguished in the 

 • Survey of Trinidad ' as die •• < Uder Parian System," — a term which 

 is retained in the present notice. 



The relations of junction of the two preceding formations remain 

 extremely obscure. In Trinidad they are completely concealed by 

 more recent deposits; in the eastern chain the Gulf of Cariaco inter- 

 venes for a considerable distance; ami between the village of that 



name and Canipaiio the surface is OOVered with BO elen-e a forest, 



that no proper sections could be found. Cn the western Cordillera 

 an entirely new element is introduced, greatly complicating the 

 problems of junction, and consisting of beds and matter of pj rog< oic 

 origin,- apparently Lnterstratified with the members of the two 

 ms, and assuming either a crystalline aspect or affecting a 

 granular form, as though derived from the previous trituration of 

 the componenl material, and finally so associated with the par 

 of the regular sedimentary members as essentially to modify their 

 appearance, and to invest them with the most embarrassing < haracl 



In the BOUthern portion of the district the nature of this material is 



augitio, with an uncertain equivalent of felspar, and consequently 

 forming, according to the subordinate properties, varieties of the 

 diaha.de typo; whilst in the northern seotion the base i^ more 

 generally diallage, thus originatlnj 



* /,-;', ?oiiu« li.it like tli.it ultii. 



