466 
state, and in that of the superincumbent 
strata. But, with regard to the stone of 
which Rowley hills consist, we do not 
know of any such inferior stratum, by 
the elevation of which these hills could 
have been formed. Weare certain, that 
no such stratum does exist between the 
surface of the ground, and the lime. 
stone; for we have, by sections of the 
earth, discovered what these strata are ; 
and besides, if the Rowley-stone were a 
stratum originally above the lime-stone, 
and which had been afterwards elevated, 
as the lime-stone is elevated in the 
Dudley hills, we should, on the suppo- 
sition, see all along the lime-stone hills 
this basalt, or Rowley-rag, as it is called, 
cropping out, as we now see the coal, 
which is certainly no where the case. 
If, onthe other hand, the rag were a solid 
stratum, originally lying beiow the lime- 
stone, which had afterwards been by 
earthquakes broken, and raised into the 
form of these Rowley hills, we should 
now see ail along the sides of these hills, 
not only the lime-stone, but also the coal, 
and other superior strata, cropping out; 
not the smallest vestige of which appears. 
It may be imagined, that these basaltic 
mountains are alluvial, that is formed by 
deposition of matter, washed down from 
higher mountains, which have been thas, 
eonsumed; for certainly no such now 
appear. But, besides the improbability 
of these higher mountains being washed 
away entirely, while the lower ones re- 
main, there is an argument which ap- 
pears to me satisfactory, that these hills 
are not alluvial; for, if the matzer of 
which they consist, had been so much 
exposed to air and water, as they must 
have been on that supposition, it would 
now appear in the coloured, decom- 
posed, and discoloured, state, whichit so 
readily acyuires on such exposure. If it 
be pretended that basaltic hills are of 
the kind that mineralogists have thought 
proper to call primitive, that is anterior 
to all other formation, or change, on the 
surface of the earth, this pretension will 
be defeated by the consideration, that 
the coal ties under these, and, in a great 
number of instances, other basaltic 
rocks; and consequently, that their for- 
mation is posterior to that of coal, 
which, containing so many vegetable im- 
pressions, cannot be considered as pri- 
rmitive. But, if these basaltic hills can- 
not have been formed by the elevation 
ef the stratum, above or below the lime- 
stone, nor by alluvion, mor be primitive, 
T do not believe that they can be sup- 
ported by any analogy, excepting that by 
Mineralogy of the South-West of Staffordshire. 
[ea t, 
means of making perforations througlt 
the bowels of the earth, or through a 
chasm. in its surface, the action of 
fire or of water caused the smaller par- 
ticles of earth afterwards to be mixed, 
and that these have been consolidated, 
either by cooling, or by gradual evapo- 
ration of the moisture, from the basaltic 
fluid matter, which might exist between 
the surface of the ground, and the lime- 
stone. it is evident, that it must bave 
come from under this stratum, which it 
could not do without producing an ele- 
vation, and rupture of the lime-stone ; 
that is to say, unless the elevation and 
rupture of the lime-stone, which con- 
stitutes the range of the Dudley hills, be 
continued nearly in the same direction, 
though with less elevation, under the 
basaltic hills. Impressed with this opi- 
nion, of the probability of the continus 
ation of the lime-stone elevation under 
the Rowley hils, and of the subsequent 
formation of these hills by ejection of 
fluid basaltic matter, I made enquiry 
respecting such facts and appearances, 
as might furmish indications tending to 
confirm, or refate, this theory. The re- 
sult appeared in favour of it. 
1. The lime-stone and basaltic moun- 
tains are so nearly in the same line, 
that, as | have already remarked, they 
might be considered as the same range, 
if their aspect and quality did not differ. 
Dudley stands on two ranges, or rather 
on the slope of the Castle-hill, which is 
the southernmost extremity of the lime- 
stone-hills. Between Dudley, and Caw- 
_ney-hill, which 13 the nearest of the ba- 
saltic ranges, there is a neck, or ridge of 
land, sleping to the east and west, on 
both sides of which, but not on the ridge 
itself, coal has been found. In this re- 
spect then, this ridge, although the lime- 
stone does not break out on the surface, 
corresponds with the lime-stone range, 
of which there seems to be a probability 
that it is a continuation. 
2. In digging a subterraneous tunnel 
en the south-west side of the Rowley 
hills, to form a part of the Netherton 
canal, some lime-stone and marine ves- 
tiges were found. 
3. The coal at Oldbury, which is not 
far from the foot of the Rowley hills, 
runs towards those hills, as it generally 
does towards the lime-stone hills, and not 
towards Dudley hills ; these last being at 
a much greater distance. 
4. Near the southern extremity of the 
Rowley hills, in a valley between Old- 
bury and Hales Owen, that isin a line of 
continuation of the Rowley and Dudley 
hills, 
a 
