DESCRIPTION OF RAVENSHEUGH. 405 



feet high. This projects into the shore iu the 

 shape of an obtuse angle, pointing nearly N. E. ; 

 and immediately behind the most prominent part 

 of the rock, there is a considerable rent or chasm, 

 lying in a direction W. of N., which, at full tide, 

 when the sea is agitated, has a striking resem- 

 blance to the Bullers of Buchan, by the rushing 

 and foam and noise of the water. On the south 

 side of the point, there is another opening into 

 the shore, which might suggest the idea, that the 

 headland, or point itself, had been detached by 

 violence from the body of the rock. I am satis- 

 fied, however, that these rents have been occa- 

 sioned merely by the action of the water, on a 

 part of the rock, where perhaps a slight sub- 

 sidence had taken place, before it was entirely 

 consolidated. 



Ravensheugh is a trap formation of the newer 

 series, apparently overlying, but in reality subor- 

 dinate to, and contained in the old red sandstone. 

 Its constituent members, are, basalt with crystals 

 of hornblende ; red and green trap-tuff, impreg- 

 nated with lime ; beautiful clinkstone ; and clink- 

 stone-porphyry, or porphyry-slate. This last oc- 

 cupies the upper part of the formation ; and 

 from the regular structure of the stone splitting 

 in uniform parallel lines, exhibits an appearance 

 like basaltic columns lying horizontally. The 

 layers of rock thus formed, are from a few inches 

 to a foot and a half, or two feet thick, and, con- 



VOL. II. j>d 



