1842.] of the Himmalay a Mountains. em- 



bedded, and indeed they can be detached from the including base. 

 The rock is therefore certainly of the nature of a conglomerate, and this 

 fact is further proved by the occurrence of rounded nodules of clay 

 slate in an adjoining quartz rock. The concretions of the talcose 

 granular scaly rock are always quartz, but of a peculiar resinous lustre, 

 very unlike ordinary quartz, and in colour always inclining to blue or 

 purple. This rock is a good instance of the deficiency we labor under, 

 from our scanty nomenclature of rocks. It is very well characterised, 

 and has consequently been recognised by me in many and very distant 

 localities, yet we have no name by which to designate it, unless we call 

 it quartz rock. It is singular, that in two of the localities where it has 

 been traced, pieces of clay slate are found imbedded in the adjoining 

 rocks, a phenomenon I have no where else observed. It here passes 

 into the more ordinary quartz, which is occasionally chloritic. 



233. The rock at Nugrasoo is the same quartz rock, and it possesses 

 the usual fissured aspect so often noted as characteristic, it being very 

 difficult to detect any thing like the appearance of strata even on 

 the great scale. In proceeding to Tirnee, at one of the lowest points in 

 the route chloritic schist is found dipping to the E. at an angle of 56°. 

 Whether a solitary included bed or connected beneath with the exten- 

 sive strata observed near Punnae, Acend, Jak, and Bendoolee, (Art. 

 224) is difficult to say, for want of that full access to the junctions 

 of rocks which so often interferes with observations in the mountains. 

 From the little I have myself observed, I am of opinion, that chloritic 

 schist is more generally a member of series than a single formation 

 in itself, at least when we speak of the more decided types, they being 

 seldom found of any extent compared with micaceous or argillaceous 

 schist. The quartz rock passes into the talcose granular scaly rock, thus 

 proving its geological identity ; but this would no more absolve us from 

 giving it a name, than it would the several other rocks that graduate 

 into each, but which yet have their distinctive appellations. An imbedded 

 nodule was observed here, (being the largest seen,) weighing at least 

 two and a half pounds, and it was readily detachable after fracture. The 

 existence of conglomerate rocks amongst primary strata has been 

 contended for by many geologists. De Saussure and Mr. Weaver are 

 amongst the best authorities I can just now recollect. Assuredly the 

 aspect of these rocks is at once sufficient to separate them from the 



