CALCAEEOUS STRATA. 
371 
tlie table-land ; the granular texture of their limestone, sur- 
rounded by trap rocks, are objects worthy the attention of 
the geolo^sb who has studied in the southern Tyrol, the 
effects produced by the contact of poroxenic porphyries.* 
The calcareous soil of the littoral Cordillera prevails most 
on the east of Cape TJnare, in the southern chain ; it extends 
to the gulf of Paria, opposite the island of Trinidad, where 
we find gypsum of Guire, containing sulphur. 1 have been 
informed that in the northern chain also, in the Montana de 
Paria, and near Carupana, secondary calcareous formations 
are found, and that they only begin to shew themselves on 
the east of the ridge of rock called the Cerro de Meapire, 
which joins the calcareous group of Guacharo to the mica- 
slate group of the peninsula of Araya ; but I have not had an 
opportunity of ascertaining the accuracy of this information. 
The calcareous stratum of the southern chain is composed of 
two formations, which appear to be very distinct the one from 
the other : viz. limestone of Cumanacoa and that of Caripe. 
When I was on the spot, the former ap|)eared to me to have 
some analogy with zeehstein, or Alpine limestone ; the 
latter with Jura limestone ; I even thought that the granular 
gypsum of Guire might be that which belongs in Europe to 
zeehstein, or is placed between zeehstein and variegated 
sandstone. Strata of quartzose sandstone, alternating with 
slaty clay, cover the limestone of Cumanacoa, Cerro del Im- 
posible, Turimiquiri, Guarda de San Agustin, and the J ura 
limestone in the province of Barcelona (Aguas Calientos). 
According to their position, these sandstones may be consi- 
dered as belonging to the formation of green sandstone, or 
sandstone with lignites below chalk. But if, as I thought I 
observed at Cocollar, sandstone form strata in the Alpine 
limestone before it is superposed, it appears doubtful whe- 
ther the sandstone of the Impossible, and of Aguas Calientes, 
constitute one series. Muriatiferous clay (with petroleum 
and lamellar gypsum) covers the western part of the penin- 
sula of Araya, opposite to the town of Cumana, and in the 
* Leopold von Buch. Tableau geologique du Tyrol, p. 17'. M. Bous- 
singault states that these singular Morros tie San Juan, which tarnish a 
limestone with crystalline grains, and thermal springs, are hollow, and 
contain immense grottos filled with stalactites, which appear to have been 
anciently inhabited by the natives. ^ ^ 
