316 Messrs. Buckland's and Conybeare's Observations, ^c. 



peared, it may then be difficult in fact to distinguish between them. But 

 between both of these and the newer red sandstone there is a complete and total 

 separation. To those rocks the newer red sandstone is unconformable in 

 position, and whenever in contact with them, reposes on their basset edges ; 

 it is usually unaffected by the faults and disturbances to which they are sub_ 

 ject ; it is itself partly made up of the fragments derived from their ruins ; and 

 must therefore have been deposited after their consolidation, dislocation, 

 and partial destruction. It is impossible, therefore, to imagine any stronger 

 grounds on which any two series of rocks can be regarded as distinct ; and 

 should we agree to throw these together, we might with equal propriety con- 

 sider all groups of strata, in which beds of limestone occur, as belonging to 

 one great calcareous formation, and treat as subordinate all the rocks that 

 happen to alternate with limestone. But this would be in fact to confound 

 together almost all the rocks with which we are acquainted. 



