OF DURNESS AND ASSTNT. 243- 



Just above the road we come to a band of dark limestone, which 

 is succeeded by a white zone. Beyond a little hollow, quartzose 

 flags are followed by similar dark and white limestones, which arc 

 probably a repetition ; then in succession we have felsite, lime- 

 stone, and felsite. Hitherto the dip of the bedded rocks has been 

 to the north-east. Above the felsite is a considerable thickness of 

 quartzite dipping east, so that if it overlies the limestone it must be 

 unconformable. Higher up the quartz-rock dips for some distance 

 to the south-west. Approaching the summit of the hill, felsite 

 appears, and just beyond is massive quartzite dipping steadily to the 

 south-east for a considerable distance. 



It is obviously unsafe to base a succession upon such a broken 

 section as this. Passing over the intrusions, it is certain that more 

 than one fault * occurs, and that the strike of the limestone is at 

 right angles to the main mass of the quartzite. But a still more 

 decisive refutation of Murchison's views remains. 



Following the strike to the south-east it is seen gradually to 

 recede from the quartzite ridge, while opposite dips by degrees come 

 in on the northern side of the limestone band, which thus expands 

 in the plateau of Stronchrubie into a broad syncline, the northern 

 side of which dips away from the quartzite, that is, to the south- 

 west. Towards the ridge the limestone dips grow steeper and at 

 last approach the vertical. Climbing the face of the mountain 

 above, the quartzite is seen to dip to the north of east, so that the 

 dips of the two formations are in opposite directions. As the 

 northern side of the syncline gradually disappears towards Cnoc an 

 drein, it is obvious that it is cut out by a fault, so that the southern 

 side of the basin is brought against the quartzite and appears to dip 

 below it. These facts are illustrated in fig. 3. 



Fig. 3. — Plan of Limestone and Quartzite at Inchnadamff. 



* Almost certain at F 2 and F 3 . 



