114 GEOLOGY OF THE LOTIIIANS. 



duced by chemical actions. The peat which occurs in the 

 Lothians exhibits nothing remarkable ; its modes of posi- 

 tion and other aspects being the same as those which cha- 

 racterize it in other districts. The untransported soils or 

 earths are interesting, both in an economical and chemical 

 point of view ; and that their study is of great importance, 

 even in a geological sense, is well exemplified in the Lo- 

 thians, since in many parts it is, in a considerable degree, 

 by reference to their characters that the nature of the sub- 

 jacent rocks can be ascertained. The soil originating from 

 the decomposition of the greywacke country has its charac- 

 ters ; that derived from rocks of mountain limestone and 

 sandstone has also each its peculiar and marked appearance, 

 while that produced from the disintegration of the trap 

 series has its own distinct aspect. Though, however, all 

 these rock-formations produce a peculiar soil, still he who 

 from experience has been able to form a conjecture as to 

 the nature of the inferior rocks, by observing the soil which 

 covers them, will find himself unable to impart the know- 

 ledge he is in possession of. Of the alluvial transported 

 class of soils there are many varieties ; all the valleys 

 through which the rivers and streams flow being covered to a 

 greater or less extent with rolled fragments and sands, de- 

 rived from the decomposition of the rocks which they run 

 over in their progress ; those portions of the country also 

 which form the coasts are to a greater or less extent covered 

 by an alluvium, which is generally to be considered as result- 

 ing from the more or less direct action of the waves on those 

 rocks which come under their influences. The banks of the 

 Tyne, of the Esk, and of the Almond, afford deep sections 

 of gravels, sands, and clays ; and all the coasts, especially 

 where they are level and not surrounded by mural cliffs, 

 present wide extents of marine sands of unknown depth, 

 portions of which, travelling by prevailing winds, encroach 



