New Red Sandstone. 



207 



now deny the existence of this rock in that valley. But I have not 

 discovered marks enough to identify it so clearly, as to be justified in 

 giving it a place on the Map. I think I can identify the upper beds 

 of this formation with the New Red Sandstone of Europe ; or rather, 

 show it to be probable that these beds are the equivalent of the new 

 red sandstone. And not improbably the lower beds correspond essen- 

 tially with the old red sandstone of Europe : For sometimes in that 

 quarter of the globe, the two series are in contact ; as in Arran in 

 Scotland;* although generally they are separated by the coal measures. 

 But so long as we have no certain evidence of the existence of the old 

 red sandstone in the valley of the Connecticut, it is better to consider 

 all the beds of the sandstone there, as belonging to the new red sand- 

 stone : nor shall we have any difficulty in finding a place for the 

 whole series within the wide range embraced by the usual definition 

 of this rock. 



In the paper above referred to, I formerly described the upper 

 beds of the sandstone under consideration, as the Coal Formation ; not 

 however without suggesting doubts as to its identity with the coal 

 measures of Europe. Thin seams of genuine bituminious coal, do, 

 indeed, occur in this series, in gray micaceous sandstone ; and its re- 

 semblance to the coal measures of Europe, has induced men of great 

 experience to explore it for coal. But only a small quantity has ever 

 been found ; and it is said that coal occurs also, in the new red sand- ► 

 stone on the continent of Europe : so that the occurrence of coal, is by 

 no means certain evidence, that the rock in which it is found, is the real 

 coal formation of geological writers. 



For the most part, the ranges of greenstone in the Connecticut val- 

 ley separate the upper, from the lower beds of the sandstone under 

 consideration : so that if any should choose to distinguish between 

 them on the map, they can do it, by recollecting that the sandstone on 

 the east side of the greenstone, belongs to the upper beds ; and that on 

 the west side, to the lower ones. 



I found my opinion, that the upper beds of this formation are the 

 new red sandstone, upon the following facts. 1. The discovery of a 

 vertebral animal several feet long in East Windsor, Ct. in one of 

 the varieties of this rock, 18 feet below its surface. Now, if I mis- 

 take not, no vertebra] animal (except the relics of a few fish, per- 

 haps,) have ever been found below the new red sandstone ; especially 



♦Macculloch's Geolgy Vol. 1 p, 274. 



