114 
one individual I observed a few specks of iron-pyrites. It 
is somewhat difficult to draw a conclusion as to the origin 
of these garnets in such a locality. From the macroscopical 
examination of the rock it would appear that the cement 
and the garnets were both in a soft and pasty condition, 
the latter being probably formed whilst in the pasty matrix 
and prevented from attaining a normal development. It is 
a well known fact that crystals which have formed in a free 
space or in a liquid mass which has not exerted any retard- 
ing influence upon the force of crystallisation, always exhi- 
bit well defined faces and angles, whilst the opposite condi- 
tions result in abnormal growths such as the garnet crystals 
just referred to. The quartz grains were probably formed 
previously to the garnets, as they appear to be water- 
worn pebbles, and were most likely carried along with the 
semi-paste-like mass which contained the constituents of 
garnet and calcite in its substance. When the paste hard- 
ened, the quartz grains and the garnets were enclosed in the 
manner exhibited on the specimen of rock from Ramsbottom. 
All the constituents of garnet were at hand, namely, alumi- 
nous shale, which would furnish the alumina and silica, and 
iron-pyrites, which would furnish the iron, whilst water 
impregnated with calcium carbonate, acting upon the shale 
and iron-pyrites, would bring about the necessary chemical 
changes, calcium sulphate being formed and carried away 
and the garnet solution (if such a term may be used) could 
then crystallise out. From the formation and the locality 
in which the garnets were found it is quite certain that 
their origin was aqueous. Another explanation of the 
