632 ON THE RED SANDSTONE OF THE 



.1 3. Limestone and Lime stone -Conglomerate, Ex^ 

 tensive beds of these rocks occur in the red sand- 

 stone ; and beautiful transitions from the limestone 

 into the surrounding sandstone and trap, are not 

 of rare occurrence. 



14. Coal, Several species of this important mi- 

 rifefal occur in the red sandstone, as glance-coal, 

 slate-coal, and pitch-coal. They are generally 

 disposed in beds, more rarely in imbedded masses 

 and veins. 



From the short description just given, it is evi- 

 dent, that the Red Sandstone Formation is much 

 Inore interesting than has been generally imagin- 

 ed. The great variety and abundance of porphy- 

 ry and trap rocks contained in it, their transitions 

 itito each other, and into sandstone, limestone and 

 tlay, are Very striking facts in their natural his- 

 tory, and deserving the particular attention of 

 those who take an interest in the volcanic and 

 neptunian theories of their formation. Those na- 

 turalists vi^ho are inclined to think favourably of 

 the opinion vi^hich maintains the chemical forma- 



