The observations in each line of the table apply to a period of twenty-four hours, beginning at 9 A. M. on the day indicated in the first column. A dash denotes that the result is included in the next following observation. REMARKS. Fifth Month.-1. Very fine. 2. Cirrus: wind veered to SE, p. m. 3. Cirrus: fine. 4. Fine. 5. Very warm: 7. Rainy. 8. Fine. 14-24. Fine. 25. Rain, with thunder, in the afternoon. 27-31, Fine. 9. Cloudy. a thunder storm, p. m. 6. Cloudy: close. 12, 13. Cloudy. 26. Showery. RESULTS. Winds: N, 6; NE, 11; E, 5; SE, 2; SW, 2; W, 4; NW, 1. Barometer: Mean height For the month...... For the lunar period, ending the 14th...... . 30-035 inches. 29.895 For 16 days, ending the 14th (moon south).......... 29.929 ANNALS OF PHILOSOPHY.. AUGUST, 1822. ARTICLE I. Geological Remarks. By Thomas Weaver, Esq. MRIA. MRDS. MWS. MGS. IN the Comparative View which I took of floetz formations in the British Isles and on the Continent (Annals of Philosophy for Oct. Nov. and Dec. 1821), it was my professed object to maintain, that a general order of succession prevails in the structure of the Earth, from the oldest to the newest formations, subject, however, to variation in detail in different countries, and even in the same tract of country, as arising, from a fluctuation of character in particular beds; from the various modes in which correlative formations are associated (namely, as being distinct, or interstratified with each other); and, lastly, from the occasional absence of certain members of a series. In illustration of this doctrine, I produced the carboniferous series as an example, proceeding from the most simple to the most complex arrangements, to be found in the British Isles, and adverting to the local deficiency of particular members of the series. Passing then to the Continent, with the same object before me, I noticed the analogy which subsists between the carboniferous series of England and the Netherlands, and between that of Scotland and some parts of Germany. With this principle, therefore, constantly in view, my surprise was great to find that a writer of distinguished talents had so far misunderstood my observations, as to have conceived that I suppose an inversion of the order in the instance of the carboniferous series of Germany, and thus impugned the very doctrine I had undertaken to sustain ; while in truth I have not made any such supposition.* *See p. 310-319, of "Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales, by the New Series, VOL. IV. G The question, (involving others of some moment), chiefly depends on the true construction of the term, the rothe todtliegende formation of Germany. In the Comparative View, adverted to above, I have considered it as the representative of the carboniferous series, extending from the old red sandstone to the coal formation inclusive; while Mr. Conybeare, on the other hand, maintains that it is the equivalent of what Professor Buckland has denominated the new red conglomerate of England, (the same which I have designated by the name of the calcareous conglomerate), stating that the rothe todtliegende is always found above the coal of Germany, and not below it. In support of our respective opinions, we have both appealed to the same authorities; to Lehman, Werner, Karsten, Von Buch, Freiesleben, &c. Whence does this great discrepancy arise? If I show that the rothe todtliegende of those authors agrees in relative position, characters, and associations, with the carboniferous series, this will be positive evidence that I have correctly rendered their meaning; and if I further show that the rothe todtliegende is deficient in those particulars that serve to characterise the new conglomerate, this will be negative evidence. The two it is presumed will be deemed conclusive. Lehman, in his work (Geschichte von Flötzgebirgen, 1756), of which a French translation appeared a few years after, speaks of the rothe todtliegende as "la base sur laquelle sont appuyés les lits du charbon de terre" (sect. iv. p. 268, 282); and in describing sections of strata in the following division of the work, he also says, the coal is covered by true rothe todtliegende, meaning that the coal is imbedded in rothe todtliegende; and this is the sense in which that author is understood by German writers in general, and by Freiesleben in particular, who expressly quotes him to that effect (vol. iv. p. 170). Freiesleben, the disciple of Werner, in constant and close intimacy with him to the latest period, and occupying like him a seat in the Council of Mines at Freyberg, may be supposed to represent faithfully the positions of his master, corroborated and elucidated as they have been by his own researches during a residence of seven years in Mansfeld and Thuringia, while acting as chief officer of the mining department in that country. It is well known that the mountainous group of the Hartz consists of primary and transition tracts, whose general constituents I shall now mention, for reasons that will appear hereafter. Granite appears to be the general base, since it occurs not only as such in the primary region, but is found protruding, or denuded, in the transition; in the former also appear clayslate, flinty slate, an intimate compound of felspar and quartz with some little tourmaline called hornfels, quartz rock, varieties of trap, limestone, and some indications of gneiss and mica slate. The Rev. W. D. Conybeare, FRS. MGS. and W. Phillips, FLS. MGS." an extremely able and valuable work, affording, so far as it has proceeded, an excellent view of the geological relations of the kingdom. The completion of the task is very desirable. transition tracts consist of clayslate, greywacke, greywacke slate, and flinty slate, containing subordinately limestone, ironshot sandstone with impressions of shells, and beds or masses of trap, porphyry, and amygdaloid. Around this mountainous region are drawn the principal floetz groups or formations of Werner, not concentrically disposed, as has been sometimes falsely represented, but of unequal distribution; namely, 1. his old or first floetz sandstone, or rothe todtliegende, formation; 2. his first limestone formation; 3. his second or new red sandstone formation; 4. his second or shell limestone formation; 5. his third or quadersandstone formation. Of these, the first four constitute the particular object of Freiesleben's elaborate work, and of three of them, viz. the second, third, and fourth, being the equivalents of the magnesian lime stone (including the calcareous conglomerate), the new red sandstone, and the shell limestone of England, I have given a detailed abstract in the Annals of Philosophy. Of the rothe todtliegende formation, I have spoken only in general terms, from the condensed manner in which it was necessary to treat the comparative view of that subject, in the confined space allotted in a periodical journal. Let us now consider it more in detail. The rothe todtliegende is described by Freiesleben as the old sandstone formation, which contains casually (though rarely in Mausfeld and Thuringia), traces of coal or coaly shale, and incidentally likewise beds of limestone, trap, and porphyry (vol. i. p. 32-34, and 43-46), being also in some parts of its extent in direct connexion and association with the coal formation, properly so called; and hence to this also the term rothe todtliegende is extended (vol. iv. p. 191-198). In a confined sense, therefore, rothe todtliegende signifies the old red sandstone with its subordinate beds, and in a large sense it comprehends the coal formation also, thus representing the whole carboniferous series. It is employed in both these senses by Freiesleben, and other German authors. To obviate, however, all misconception to which this latitude of expression may give rise, I shall, in the following pages, separate the old red sandstone, in the limited sense, from the coal formation, unless where I may employ the term carboniferous series as indicative of the whole. But in a few cases I shall quote Freiesleben's own words to show the latitude in which he uses the term rothe todtliegende. Relative Position.-The carboniferous series is disposed in the form of a crescent, embracing the foot of the transition tract of the Hartz, on its north-eastern, eastern, and south-eastern sides, ranging thus in a circuit of about 63 miles, from the vicinity of Ballenstadt on the N., past Mansfeld on the E., to beyond Ihlefeld on the S. The only interruption to this continuity is for a short space in the south-western quarter, near Questenberg, |