the Primary Rocks and the Oolitic Series in the North of Scotland. 149 



Precisely the same phasnomena are seen at the other Sutor on the east side of 

 the town of Cromarty. These highly inclined beds are separated from the 

 gneiss of the Sutors by a mass of conglomerate. They are principally com- 

 posed of siliceous sandstone more or less ferruginous : subordinate to which 

 are, however, some thin beds of shale, containing calcareo-bituminous schist, 

 not to be distinguished from that of Caithness. 



By these beds we therefore establish an analogy which otherwise would be 

 wanting, as the sandstones of Easter Ross have in general but little resem- 

 blance to any part of the series connected with the dark blue flagstone of 

 Caithness. 



2. Coast Section from the North Sutor of Cromarty to Tarhet Ness. In 



ascending order. 



The peculiar position of the beds on this part of the coast, their northern 

 dip, and high inclination, have already been noticed ; and they may be natu- 

 rally described in this place, as they not only conduct us to the highest 

 deposits which are connected with the red sandstones of the Murray Firth, 

 but also appear to commence exactly at that part of the series with which the 

 preceding transverse section terminated. We shall endeavour to omit all 

 details which are not essential to our present object. 



Immediately on the north side of the Sutor are some conglomerates perfectly analogous to the 

 similar masses which appear on the south side of the same rock. They are succeeded by highly 

 inclined beds of sandstone, which form a lofty but ruinous cliff extending to the south-west side of 

 the bay of Shandwick. Their prevailing colour is red, but they exhibit in more or less perfection 

 all the modifications above described, and might pass for hard varieties of either old or new red 

 sandstone. On the low sandy shore of the bay are many similar beds ; and associated with them 

 are masses of hard greenish grey sandstone, which form a good material for building. 



Under Cadbolt, where the cliff recommences, and from thence to Geanle's Mill, the minera- 

 logical pha;nomena are of great interest. The sandstone beds are extremely variable, both in 

 their thickness and in their state of induration. The cliffs are generally red or variegated, but 

 many of the subordinate harder beds are greenish grey, grey, or brown. The colours are, however, 

 seldom constant even in the same bed. Almost all the softer varieties are either red, or marked 

 with red streaks and blotches; and subordinate to them are thin, micaceous, flaggy beds, passing 

 into meagre, micaceous shale. Some of these beds of shale are red ; others green or variegated : 

 they are here and there pyritous and bituminous; and subordinate to them, in at least eight or 

 ten places, are thinly laminated beds of dark bluish grey, or dark smoke-grey impure limestone*. 



* The most remarkable of these beds is seen down on the beach near the road turning up to 

 Cadbolt. It is dark smoke-grey, partially lamellar, and has been occasionally quarried for use. 

 Between Cadbolt and Geanle's Mill are some singular dislocations, and an anteclinal axis running 

 for some way parallel to the base of the cliff. We have thought it unnecessary to notice these 

 phaenomena in detail, as they do not produce any effect upon the general relations of the strata. 



