the Neighbourhood of Gamrie, Banffshire. 145 



Faults. 



Two great and important dislocations affect the continuity of the forma- 

 tions. By one of them, the Gamrie Fault, which ranges inland in a south- 

 easterly direction (PI. X. Map and sections 2 & 3), the highly inclined strata 

 of the slate rocks, are brought successively on a level with the nearly hori- 

 zontal beds of the red sandstone and red conglomerate, and at the point of 

 contact, the edges of the sandstone and conglomerate are slightly turned up. 

 The second, or Findon Fault, is well exhibited in the high cliffs immediately 

 east of Gamrie (see Map and sect. 2 & 3,), where the micaceous schist, over- 

 laid by the red sandstone, occurs also upon a level with the red conglomerate, 

 and subsequently brings the red sandstone and conglomerates into contact. 

 The schist, where it rises from beneath the red sandstone, dips at an angle 

 of about 20°, but near the line of fault the strata are horizontal, and the beds 

 of conglomerate against which they abut, are tilted at a considerable angle. 

 This fault ranges in a south-westerly direction, crossing the ravine at the back 

 of Gamrie. It may be seen at several other points near Findon. 



A few less dislocations are visible in the cliffs and ravines, but they cannot 

 be traced to any distance. That the upheaving, which produced these faults, 

 was attended by a considerable lateral pressure, is denoted by the great tilting 

 of the edges of the disjointed strata of the red conglomerates. I cannot speak 

 positively as to the amount of disturbance, exhibited by these faults. That it 

 was very considerable there can be no doubt ; for in the Gamrie fault at the 

 Old Church, we see the disjointed edges of the slates in contact with those of 

 the centre of the old red sandstone series; whilst the Findon fault, has almost 

 entirely thrown out the whole formation of red sandstone, indicating thereby 

 a difference of level, amounting at least to several hundred feet. (See PI. X. 

 sect. 2 & 3.) 



Conclusion. 



Mr. Murchison directed my attention to the Gamrie Ichthyolites for the 

 purpose of determining, as far as I was able, the age of the deposit in which 

 they occur. From the observations detailed in the preceding pages, I con- 

 sider that the strata belong to the upper series of a red conglomerate, more 

 recent than the great mass of the old red sandstone described by Professor 

 Sedgwick and Mr. Murchison*. The same observers have suggested, that 

 the Caithness schists pass down into the old red sandstone ; but as the con- 

 glomerates containing the Gamrie Ichthyolites lie unconformably upon a 

 sandstone (considered to be the equivalent of the old red sandstone of 



* Geological Transactions, 2nd series, vol. iii. p. 125, et seq. 

 VOL. V. SECOND SERIES. U 



