1862.] HAKKNESS — METAMORPHIC ROCKS. 335 



tortions produced the anticlinals and synclinals of this portion of 

 Scotland*. 



Westwards from the limestone of Sandend a succession of gneissic 

 strata occurs. These strata are perpendicular ; but they soon 

 become greatly contorted, and present both N.W. and S.E. dips. 

 Among them strata of quartz-rock are seen, on one of which the old * 

 Castle of Findlater is situated. These contorted rocks obtain along 

 this portion of the coast, from Sandend to Logie-head. 



From Logie-head to the Maiden Pap of Port Long, gneiss, with 

 N.W. dips, exhibits itself, having beneath it thin-bedded quartz- 

 rocks, which repose upon hard grey beds. The thin-bedded asso- 

 ciated quartz-rocks are well seen in the neighbourhood of Cullen. 



On the shore, a little west of Cullen, isolated quartz-rock is seen ; 

 and also masses of Old Red Conglomerate, one of which is seen on 

 the west side of the bay, reposing on the metamorphic strata, as 

 represented in Mr. Cunningham's section. On this side of the bay, 

 a thin series of gneiss is seen resting upon quartz-rock, and having 

 a S.E. inclination. Along the cliifs westwards to Portnockie, the 

 quartz -rocks, occasionally overlain by Old Red Sandstone, are seen 

 with the same S.E. dips. Here the quartz-rocks become greatly 

 developed ; and they continue along the coast with the same dips to 

 Findochtie, where the strata are flatter, but have still the S.E. in- 

 clinations. At Port Essie, the same rocks, having the same inclina- 

 tion, but at greater angles, present themselves ; and these make up 

 the cliffs along the coast to Buckie, where, on the shore, some grey 

 beds occur among the quartz-rocks. West of Buckie, Old Red Con- 

 glomerates appear on the shore ; and at the Gallochie Burn, between 

 Buckie and Port Gordon, the same Old Red Conglomerates, with 

 red sandstones, are seen dipping N.N.W. at a low angle ; and these 

 form a portion of the eastern margin of the Old Red Sandstone area, 

 which is so extensively developed in the county of Elgin, along the 

 shores of the Moray Firth. 



The quartz-rocks which are so extensively developed on the coast 

 between Cullen and Buckie are extensions northwardly of the mass 

 which is so well seen in the Bin of Cullen. Like the strata pre- 

 viously described, they appear to form an axis in this area, the 

 centre of which is probably at Findochtie, where the beds are more 

 nearly horizontal than elsewhere along this coast. Here again we 

 have another instance of an axis being pushed over towards the 

 north-west. 



The arrangement of the metamorphic rocks, as exhibited along 

 the Banffshire coast, leads to the conclusion that here the deposits 

 have, in their sequence, a great affinity to the series of strata which 

 compose the altered sedimentary rocks of other portions of the 

 Highlands. At the base considerable thicknesses of quartz-rocks 

 sometimes present themselves ; and these, where they do occur, are 

 seen in the condition of axes. Upon these quartz-rocks, in some 

 instances, limestones are found ; but the persistence of the lime- 



* I am indebted to the Rev. Mr. Grigor, of Macduff, for pointing out to me 

 the Hmestone locaUties near Keith. 



