120 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [DcC. 23, 



of the older series, which forms, in the south of China at least, the 

 main geological framework of the empire. These rocks are through- 

 out much broken up by faults, the softer portions denuded forming 

 valleys, and then again for the most part filled up by deep deposits 

 of subsequent date. In the valley of the Yangtse the strike gene- 

 rally approaches within a few degrees of E. and W. ; in the southern 

 provinces it is commonly from E.S.E. to W.N.W., or thereabouts ; the 

 strata are constantly either vertical or highly inclined. The series 

 is of considerable thickness, probably from 16,000 to 20,000 feet, or 

 even more. In the central provinces in Kiangsu and Kiangsi the 

 following seems to be the sequence in descending order. Erom the 

 circumstance of the greater portion of the series being developed in 

 the two Tungting islands in the Taihu, within an easily accessible 

 distance of Shanghai, I have given the formation the provisional title 

 of the Tungting series for future reference. 



No. 8.\ . f ( Limestones 



No. n. ^ - 



No. 6. 

 No. 5. 

 No. 4. 

 No. 3. 

 No. 2. 

 No. 1. 





/'Limestones | Prnhahl 



J Calcareous shales ......... gooQto 6000 feet. 



Limestones < Limestones and dolomites J 



Lower coal and iron shales About 600 to 800 ft. 



I Limestone with chert nodules... ,, 800 feet. 



r Upper quartzites. 



Grits K Middle shales and shivery schists. . . J- 12,000 feet. 



[ Lower quartzites 



The rocks composing this series are thoroughly conformable from 

 first to last, and, as above stated, form the lowest formation I have 

 hitherto been able to fix upon with certainty. They are for the 

 most part destitute of fossils, though in one or two localities they 

 have yielded a few specimens. 



No. 1. The Lower Quartzites. — These rocks consist of coarse lami- 

 nated quartzites or irregular sandstones, sometimes, as in Lower 

 Kiangsu, altered into quartz rock, and occasionally, it is said, contain- 

 ing traces of gold. Occasional oval patches of a lighter colour and finer 

 composition than the matrix occur ; they are totally devoid of struc- 

 ture, but, from their occurrence in Kiangsu and Kiangsi at an inter- 

 val of 400 miles, as well as in the intermediate district of Nanking, 

 they seem to be characteristic. 



No. 2. The Middle Shales. — This may be said to consist of an 

 irregular mass of soft shales, sometimes, as in Lu-shan near Kiukiang, 

 metamorphosed into purple slates of sufficient consistency to be made 

 use of for water- cisterns, &c. ; generally they form a mass of soft 

 shales interspersed with a peculiar series of greenish schists, which 

 split up into small angular spicula on exposure to the air. Though 

 easily shivered into these small fragments, they persistently refuse 

 further disintegration, and often form the surface for many hundred 

 yards, these portions being almost entirely destitute of vegetation. 

 These shales have yielded no fossils within my knowledge. 



No. 3. The Upper Quartzites. — These rocks are in a great measure 

 similar to those of No. 1, but are generally of more decidedly arena- 

 ceous character, in some of the upper beds forming fine-grained grit- 

 stones, much used by the Chinese for grindstones, set-stones, and 



