85 



TAB. CCCXLVII. 



CALX carbonata. 

 Calcareous Schist. 



Div. 3. Amorphous. 



The term Slate is applied to very different Stones ; but it 

 is more generally understood a3 belonging to the blue or 

 gray Slate, commonly so called when it is even a term for 

 colour, as Slate-colour; but this term does not lead to 

 accuracy, as Slate is found to vary in this respect. Colour 

 formerly helped to distinguish the species for common use 3 

 but now many varieties, both in colour and texture, are 

 used ! While Slates are common in some counties, in 

 others the people are strangers to them ; and luckily find 

 Limestone so fissile as to serve for roofing their houses ; 

 and this, being schistose or slaty, has obtained the appella- 

 tion of Slate. 



The lower figure came from Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, 

 and has often in its fissile divisions shells, sharks' teeth, 

 and other things of this nature. These Stones often have 

 fishes' teeth in them, perhaps most remarkable at Verona 

 in Italy. When Stones for building are chosen from these 

 quarries, it becomes necessary to place them nearly as they 

 were in their native places, else by exposure they split per- 

 pendicularly, and fall from their places in flakes; which 

 may occasionally be seen in Limestone buildings. 



The small upper specimen was found about 2 or 3 feet 

 from the surface in Sussex, and furnishes strong argument 

 for its very recent formation. Little petrified shells, re- 



