244 
Mr. Weaver on the 
sandstone. The slate yielded by the quarries of Killaloe, in this 
vicinity, is not inferior to that of North Wales. 
§ 143. The noble range of the Gaultees mountains, and its 
subordinate and lower ridge on the north-western side, called 
Slievenamuck, appear to consist wholly of sandstone. The north- 
western face of the Gaultees is in many parts extremely precipitous, 
and even inaccessible ; the south-eastern partakes of a tamer cha- 
racter ; (see Plate 7. No. 5.) 
In this picturesque group, the strata of sandstone crop out in 
several places in the course of the range, being in the upper regions 
almost horizontal, yet gently curved ; while on the flanks, where 
not abrupted, they appear to acquire a more rapid inclination, 
conforming probably to the shape of the surface of the clay 
slate which seems to constitute a base to the sandstone. We 
may distinctly mark a disposition of this kind in the northern 
portion of the Gaultees. In the lower part of a ravine on 
the south-eastern flank, above Caher, the rock has been quar- 
ried. It there exhibits strata of sandstone conglomerate, dipping 
at an angle of 70° toward the south-east, and consisting of 
quartzy sandstone, enveloping large and small fragments of green 
clay slate. Higher up, the rock is again displayed near the 
ravine, in strata from one to two feet thick, but dipping 15° toward 
the south-west, and on the opposite side of the ravine it re-appears 
under a similar arrangement, but lying rather flatter. The sand- 
stone in these places varies much in character. In general it is a 
fine grained rock, composed of grains of quartz closely aggregated,, 
but it sometimes contains interstices filled with iron ochre. It ap- 
pears also as a perfect quartzy sandstone : and is sometimes quite 
red, composed of grains of quartz cemented by iron-shot clay, 
and frequently containing minute scales of silvery mica. All these 
varieties occasionally present also the character of sandstone con- 
