10 



vided into a multiplicity of differently characterized strata, 

 having all the variations of texture, composition and color, dis- 

 integrating at the surface into small, variously shaped pieces, 

 and giving various colored powders. Clay or argile is evi- 

 dently sometimes the most abundant constituent ; chlorite pre- 

 dominates, and the aspect changes, as also the texture, and 

 form a chlorite slate ; the talc prevailing, a talcose slate well 

 characterized appears, a greenish hue denotes the presence of 

 either, and it is difficult to say whether the chlorite or the 

 talc most abounds. At certain times, however, and in certain 

 localities, the talcose slate is apparently free from chlorite, and 

 is of a reddish hue, from the oxide of iron, and divides into 

 laminae, which have that particular satin lustre that accompa- 

 nies magnesian rocks. There is a seam of red talcose slate 

 that runs through the townships of Windsor, York, Shrews- 

 bury and Codorus, into the state of Maryland ; the width of this 

 slate varies, and passes into chlorite slate, argillaceous slate, 

 and a variety of slates, badly defined or characterized, and 

 varying as either of the constituents prevail. These rocks as 

 the rest, run nearly a north-east and south-west course. Fer- 

 ruginous quartz is found upon the surface of the ground, and 

 occurs in veins traversing the laminae, and at other times seams 

 of quartz run parallel with the strata, and between the leaves 

 of the same, at places, the quartz is swollen out and gradually 

 diminishes so as to almost disappear, assuming somewhat the 

 form of a lentille. This the German miners term liegende 

 stock, an example of which we have just endeavored to de- 

 scribe may be seen on the Baltimore road, in Shrewsbury 

 township, on the side of a hill, near a public house known once 

 and marked on the maps of the county, as Wilson's tavern. 

 Veins of quartz are common to this formation ; the quartz is 

 more or less ferruginous and frequently cavernous ; sometimes 

 it contains haemetitic oxide of iron, at others the peroxide, im- 

 pregnating the whole and encrusting the caverns; appears to 

 have come from the decomposition of pyrites. In some cases 

 the iron pyrites have undergone no change, and are of the va- 

 rieties yellow and white. Cubic crystals of this mineral are 

 found imbedded, and may be found upon the surface of the 

 soil ; after a rain in small washes they may be collected with 



