118 



MINERALOGICAL NOTICES 



searching for the stones, pay the proprietors a small 

 rent for the liberty of searching. The part of the 

 range which lies to the east, and is called Ben-Aven, 

 is at present reckoned the most productive ; yield- 

 ing the proprietor, I was told, about L. 150 or 

 L. 800 a-year. What is properly called Cairn- 

 gouram, opposite to Aviemore, and skirted on the 

 north by the extensive woods of Rothiemurchus, 

 has now been so completely stripped of its products 

 in the ordinary track of examination, that a mere 

 traveller, limited in time, has little chance of meet- 

 ing with specimens of much value ; but the people 

 in the neighbourhood, have always a number to 

 offer for sale. 



The granite of Cairngouram, consists chiefly of 

 quartz and felspar, both compact and crystallized ; 

 the mica occurs but sparingly. In some places, the 

 materials of the rock appear to be disposed in lay- 

 ers or strata, almost horizontal. I remarked, that, 

 perhaps, there are few instances, in which a mineral 

 substance, spread over so great an extent of surface, 

 exhibits so little variety of oryctognostic character, 

 as the granite of this range. Specimens collected 

 at the distance of several miles, can often scarcely 

 be distinguished from each other, by the nature or 

 appearance of their constituent parts. If the zeal- 

 ous mineralogist could submit to spend days in tra- 

 versing the dreary untrodden regions, and to pass 

 his nights among the bare rocks of Cairngouram, 

 ihere is little doubt, that his toil and patience 



