THE GEOLOGY OF SOUTH-EASTERN KINCARDINESHIRE. 943 
Geological Survey map, belong to types which are identical with the Burn of Guinea 
hornblende andesites. It is extremely likely that these belong also to this horizon. 
At the bottom of this voleanic zone occurs a group of dacites extending from East 
Kinmonth to the Water of Bervie, and forming for a considerable distance the northern 
bank of a remarkable dry valley. I was unable to find any exposure showing the 
nature of their contact with the adjacent strata, and I had doubts as to whether they 
might not be intrusive. But since they show everywhere very fine fluxion structure, 
and since dacite boulders almost identical in character make their appearance in the 
overlying conglomerates, they are in all probability lavas. 
The lavas coloured on the map as hornblende and augite andesites include normal 
hornblende-biotite andesites with phenocrysts of plagioclase, hornblende, and biotite, 
and compact non-porphyritic types which are somewhat more basic in character, but 
which, on microscopic examination, are seen to contain occasional patches of magnetite, 
which may represent resorbed hornblende and biotite. 
The basalts which are found intercalated with the above series between the Bervie 
Water and Drumlithie include a doleritic type, and a black compact hypocrystalline 
type with porphyritic olivine. 
The widespread occurrence of boulders of the hornblende-biotite andesites in the 
overlying conglomerate shows that this volcanic group underwent extensive con- 
temporaneous denudation, and a very fine example of an eroded lava surface with the 
overlying conglomerate is seen in a small quarry at Harlingtongue. 
Owing to the paucity of exposures, but little can be made out regarding the sediments 
associated with the above lavas. On the Bervie Water at Burn of Guinea farm there 
is a fine section of a coarse ‘‘ Highland ” conglomerate with boulders of quartzite, granite, 
granophyre, quartz porphyry, and schists. Conglomerates of the same type occur in 
the Pilketty Burn and in Kinmonth Den. At Whitehil] Quarry, near Bogincabers, the 
lavas overlie a tuffaceous sandstone. 
C. The Arbuthnott Group. 
In the Arbuthnott group, as in the last, we find a markedly different assemblage 
of rocks on the two sides of the Strathmore syncline. In the south-eastern part of the 
area it includes the thickest and most widespread of the lava belts; in the north and 
west its chief member is a remarkable volcanic conglomerate. 
(a) The Hypersthene Andesite and Hypersthene Basalt Series, with their Associated 
Sediments.—As will be seen from the accompanying map, the hypersthene andesites 
and hypersthene basalts, with occasional intercalations of sandstone and conglomerate, 
may be followed continuously along the southern limb of the syncline from the North 
Esk to Bruxie Hill, where they swing round and continue along the steeply inclined 
northern limb as far as the Stonehaven-Laurencekirk road. Then, like the hornblende 
andesites of the Crawton group, they are lost sight of for nearly two miles, concealed 
