VICINITT OF THE UPPER PART OF LOCH MAREE. 103 



together, compose the greater part of the slide, with the micaceous 

 mineral, both disseminated and in wavy bands, parallel with the 

 stratification. In this ground-mass are scattered larger snbangular 

 grains, lying generally lengthwise, with the mica scales bending 

 round them, so that they form, as it were, " eyes " to the slide. Most 

 of them are felspar, many are plagioclase*, one or two probably mi- 

 crocline. The micaceous constituent is rather fibrous, moderately 

 dichroic, showing bright colours with the two Nicols, and is uniaxial 

 or orthorhombic — probably a hydrous magnesia-mica ; but there may 

 be more than one mineral present — many small grains of epidote, a 

 fair number of iron oxide, probably haematite, and a little calcite in 

 (a). These rocks appear to me beyond question metamorphic in the 

 full sense of the term, though very distinct from, and not so ex- 

 tremely altered as, the Hebridean series ; for the quartz is wholly 

 unlike that in any sandstone, however indurated, and the mica 

 appears to have crystallized in situ. Specimens (c, d) resemble 

 respectively the two from Glen Laggan, but are a little more mica- 

 ceous ; the microscope shows the differences to be merely varietal. 

 The only difference noteworthy in the specimen (e) is that it is chiefly 

 quartz and mica ; the latter is in larger scales, and there is certainly 

 another minute green mineral with it, showing strong dichroism, 

 possibly a chlorite f. 



Proceeding up Glen Docherty, by the road which follows the 

 right bank of the stream, we pass, after the spot named above, the 

 shoulder of Torridon Sandstone, and then ascend the glen with the 

 newer series on both sides. At first not much rock is seen in situ 

 by the road ; what there is appears to belong to this series. At 

 nearly 2| and 3 miles from Kinlochewe are slopes of screes derived 

 evidently from the clifi's high above the road, which indubitably con- 

 sist mainly of fine quartzose gneisses, foliated, as before, parallel to 

 the flaggy bedding. Higher up, rock is frequently exposed by the 

 road, but it is all of a similar character. The most highly altered is 

 a lead- coloured mica-schist, which, higher up, is exposed in a little 

 lateral ravine. This, however, is totally different from any member 

 of the Hebridean series, splitting with comparative facility, and 

 pulverizing under the hammer. Moreover, it is overlain conformably 

 by a flaggy quartz-schist, just like those already described. This, or 

 a bed nearly at same level, reappears in a cutting where the road 

 enters the open moorland at the head of Glen Docherty, rather more 

 than 3| miles from Kinlochewe. I have examined both rocks micro- 

 scopically. The former diff'ers from those already described only in 

 having more mica and a rather more marked schistose structure 

 (fig. 6). There are certainly two species of mica, one colourless, the 

 other an altered biotite, rather more altered (and decomposed) felspar, 

 and some small, imperfectly formed garnets. The overlying rock is a 



* The results of tlie optical tests vary so much that I cannot attempt to name 

 the species ; some agree with labradorite, some rather ohgoclase. 



t I have a suspicion it is uniaxial. The above slides, I may mention, have 

 been shown to Prof. Eenard and Prof. Morris, botli of whom agree with me 

 as to the true metamorphic character of the rocks. 



