WERNERIAN SYSTEM. 
io4i 
Rcrcark^hle 
iip«iiliirit.\ Hml 
rttf'iit of the 
Floetz rocks. 
Newest Fhcta 
^ iTtiviaf rock 
kc. , 
Tolcanie 
socks. 
The regularity and extent of the strata of “ FltEtz rocks,” 
are often very remarkable. Cuvier and Brongniart were 
enabled to identify, in the Paris formation, a bed of slaty-mar], 
not two feet in thickness, but every where presenting the same 
characters and relative place throughout a space of more than 
ten French leagues in length and four in breadth j and Mr. 
Jameson has mentioned a bed of coal, “ lately discovered in 
the second Floetz limestone, which has been traced for three 
hundred miles*.” 
But besides the rocks with parallel and nearly horizontal 
beds, there is placed in this class another assemblage of consi- 
derable importance, the masses of which are “ unconfoiniable” 
in their position, and which occur most frequently in detached 
and broken siuiimits above the rest. This assemblage has been 
denominated the “ newest Floetz trap,” from its connection 
with the present class, and from the number of rocks of the 
trap-family which it affords, and among its more remarkable 
members are basalt, clinkstone-porphyry, amygdaloid, and other 
rocks, the alledged volcanic origin of wliich has given rise 
to so much controversy j with coal in vast abundance. 
Above all the formations hitherto described, are placed the 
accumulatiens denominated “ alluvial," formed evidently by the 
agency of water, and some of them arising or receiving 
additions from the continued action of the elements even under 
our own observation. These constitute the fourth class of 
Werner’s arrangement. 
The last class in the series is that of volcanic rocks, which 
are placed irregularly above all those that precede them. The 
connection of volcanoes with the newest Flcetz-trap formation, 
to which it is asserted they are confined, is a striking and impor- 
tant ciicumstance : but whether they are the agents to which 
the origin of that formation is to be ascribed, or have them- 
selves originated within it after its completion, is a question 
still to be decided. 
* Geognosy,' p. 165. 
tioDcd. 
Tlic place where lliis coal is forind is not men- 
Sueb, 
