152 DR. H. HICKS ON THE METAMORPHTC AND 



stone series of Loch Kishorn, and that they repose conformably upon 

 the latter. Not only does it seem incomprehensible from their pecu- 

 liar mineral characters that these can be altered Silurian rocks, but 

 the evidence afforded by the strike, which is directly opposed to that 

 of the unaltered Torridon-Sandstone and Quartzite series forming 

 the mountains directly to the north, and the fact, moreover, that 

 here and there we meet with rocks in the latter area peculiarly like 

 those of the Glas-Bheinn type peeping out from below the Torridon 

 Sandstone, would seem to indicate that the conclusions which have 

 been arrived at as to there being evidence of a continuous upward 

 succession in this area are erroneous. 



7. Attadale, Loch Garron. 



In the Attadale valley, which runs in a direction nearly east and 

 west from the east side of Loch Carron towards its upper end, an 

 unusually good exposure of the gneiss rocks and mica-schists of the 

 Ben-Fyn type may be examined. 



In the railway-cutting (as we approach the railway station from 

 Strathcarron) rather massive beds are exposed, dipping at an angle 

 of about 45° to a little north of east. These gneisses contain a con- 

 siderable amount of pinkish felspar in association with brown mica 

 and quartz. Veins are occasionally found also traversing these beds. 

 Between Strathcarron and this point the ends of the beds are fre- 

 quently exposed, as if sharply cut off by the fault of the Loch-Carron 

 valley, and deeper beds are found here than in the hills directly east 

 of Strathcarron Station. In ascending the Attadale valley along the 

 north side, the next series to be noticed, after those characteristic of 

 the entrance, No. 18, are some dark mica-schists, No. 19. These are 

 considerably contorted and are well exposed near a farm-house on 

 the left-hand side of the road. The general dip here, though there 

 are some minor folds, is still to the east. 



Beyond this point augen-gneisses identical with those found at 

 Ben Fyn are met with ; these are succeeded by dark grey gneisses 

 and T<?.ica-sckists, and towards the upper end of the valley by the 

 more quartzose gneisses, Nos. 20 and 21. These last are evidently 

 the same gneisses as those found so well exposed in the mountains 

 directly to the east of the Strathcarron Station, where they are seen 

 dipping at a high angle to the east. After traversing these mountains 

 in various directions, I met with no rocks that could in any way be 

 looked upon as otherwise than typical of a highly metamorphic 

 series. Bed by bed they maybe examined, and in sections showing 

 thicknesses of several thousands of feet. An upward sequence is 

 readily made out, and the several minor series show everywhere, as 

 nearly as can be conceived possible, an identical state of alteration. 

 After a time the observer cannot fail to realize in these areas that 

 he is meeting continually with series having a very wide distribu- 

 tion, many of them also attaining to great thicknesses, but repeated 

 here and there in great folds. The amount of contortion is not 

 great, except in the more micaceous beds ; and there is not apparently 



