THE GEOLOGY OF SOUTH-EASTERN KINCARDINESHIRE, 947 
important part. Jasper and “ green rocks” are much less numerous than in the lower 
conglomerates, although locally, on the Garvock side of the syncline, they are fairly 
abundant. ‘he presence of many boulders of rhyolites and acid andesites shows 
that the acid volcanic rocks had not yet been entirely removed from the Highland area. 
It may be noted in this connection that the finer sediments of this group often contain 
a remarkable amount of felsitic debris. The chief characteristic of the conglomerates, 
however, is undoubtedly the great abundance of boulders of flaggy gneisses. The flat 
boulders of the gneisses frequently show beautifully an imbricated arrangement similar 
to that found in torrential flood gravels. This is seen particularly well in the con- 
glomerates of Sarah’s Den on Strathfinella Hill, where it is very evident that the 
boulders have been transported from the north or north-west. 
Of the many intercalations of finer sediments two persistent belts cal] for special 
description. The first occurs between the Strathfinella conglomerates and the top of 
the volcanic conglomerates of the Arbuthnott group, and is separated from the latter 
by lenticels of ‘‘ Highland” conglomerate. It consists of reddish micaceous sandstone 
-—often pebbly, and in places containing so much felsitic debris that it assumes a pink 
tint—interbedded with red, grey, and chocolate-coloured flagstones which are usually 
crowded with clay galls. Beautiful ripple-marked surfaces are often conspicuous, and 
fine examples of sun-cracks are not uncommon. ‘The only evidence of organic life is the 
presence of worm burrows and castings. 
The other belt also occurs near the base of the group, but on the south side of the 
syncline, and comes on almost immediately above the highest lavas of the Arbuthnott 
group. It consists of purplish sandstones, with which are intercalated grey and 
chocolate-coloured sandstones with grey and olive-tinted sandy shales. The best section 
in this series is at the Den of Morphie (Canterland Den), about two miles east of Mary- 
kirk. The shales contain plant remains in great abundance, but the only form 
determined so far is Parka decipiens, which seems to have been the first fossil recorded 
from this locality. The occurrence of Kampecaris forfarensis has been noted by several 
collectors, probably first by Davip Pac, who figured it in the first edition of his 
Advanced Text-Book. This interesting fossil was considered by Pace to be an anomalous 
form of isopod crustacean; C. W. Pracu first recognised that it was a myriapod ; and 
a detailed description, based on specimens from Kincardineshire and Forfarshire, was 
subsequently published by Dr B. N. Puacu.* Dr Pracw gives an excellent drawing 
of one of Pacr’s specimens from Canterland Den. Our knowledge of the fossils of 
Canterland, however, we owe chiefly to the work of that enthusiastic local collector, 
the late Rev. Hueu Mrrcustt of Craig. In addition to Parka decipienst and 
Kampecaris forfarensis,t MitcHELt discovered Pterygotus+ sp., Cephalaspis Lyelli,*t 
Parexus incurvus,t Climatius scutiger,{ and Thelodus Page. The last is the 
Cephalopterus Pager§ of Powrir. It was redescribed and renamed first as Turina 
* Trans. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edin., vol. vii. p. 1, 1882. + Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc., vol. xvii. p. 145, 1861. 
{ Geol. Survey Mem.: Organic Remains, dec. x. p. 68, 1861. § Trans. Edin. Geol. Soc., vol. i. p. 298, 1870. 
TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. XLVIII. PART IV. (NO. 34). 140 
