The Student's Elements of Geology
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Student's Elements of Geology Sir Charles Lyell The Student's Elements of Geology Table of Contents The Student's Elements of Geology.........................................................................................................................1 Sir Charles Lyell............................................................................................................................................1 PREFACE......................................................................................................................................................2 CHAPTER I. ON THE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF ROCKS.....................................................................2 CHAPTER II. AQUEOUS ROCKS. THEIR COMPOSITION AND FORMS OF STRATIFICATION......................................................................................................................................8 CHAPTER III. ARRANGEMENT OF FOSSILS IN STRATA. FRESH−WATER AND MARINE FOSSILS.....................................................................................................................................................14 CHAPTER IV. CONSOLIDATION OF STRATA AND PETRIFACTION OF FOSSILS.......................21 CHAPTER V. ELEVATION OF STRATA ABOVE THE SEA. HORIZONTAL AND INCLINED STRATIFICATION....................................................................................................................................27 CHAPTER VI. DENUDATION..................................................................................................................40 CHAPTER VII. JOINT ACTION OF DENUDATION, UPHEAVAL, AND SUBSIDENCE IN REMODELLING THE EARTH'S CRUST................................................................................................46 CHAPTER VIII. CHRONOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS.................................................53 CHAPTER IX. CLASSIFICATION OF TERTIARY FORMATIONS......................................................66 CHAPTER X. RECENT AND POST−PLIOCENE PERIODS..................................................................71 CHAPTER XI. POST−PLIOCENE PERIOD, CONTINUED. GLACIAL CONDITIONS.....................82 CHAPTER XII. POST−PLIOCENE PERIOD, CONTINUED. GLACIAL CONDITIONS, CONCLUDED............................................................................................................................................86 CHAPTER XIII. PLIOCENE PERIOD.......................................................................................................94 CHAPTER XIV. MIOCENE PERIOD. UPPER MIOCENE..................................................................106 CHAPTER XV. LOWER MIOCENE (OLIGOCENE OF BEYRICH)....................................................116 CHAPTER XVI. EOCENE FORMATIONS.............................................................................................127 CHAPTER XVII. UPPER CRETACEOUS GROUP................................................................................144 CHAPTER XVIII. LOWER CRETACEOUS OR NEOCOMIAN FORMATION..................................158 CHAPTER XIX. JURASSIC GROUP. PURBECK BEDS AND OOLITE...........................................166 CHAPTER XX. JURASSIC GROUP CONTINUED. LIAS................................................................183 CHAPTER XXI. TRIAS, OR NEW RED SANDSTONE GROUP..........................................................189 CHAPTER XXII. PERMIAN OR MAGNESIAN LIMESTONE GROUP..............................................200 CHAPTER XXIII. THE COAL OR CARBONIFEROUS GROUP..........................................................205 CHAPTER XXIV. FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD..............................219 CHAPTER XXV. DEVONIAN OR OLD RED SANDSTONE GROUP.................................................228 CHAPTER XXVI. SILURIAN GROUP...................................................................................................238 CHAPTER XXVII. CAMBRIAN AND LAURENTIAN GROUPS........................................................253 CHAPTER XXVIII. VOLCANIC ROCKS...............................................................................................260 CHAPTER XXIX. ON THE AGES OF VOLCANIC ROCKS................................................................278 CHAPTER XXX. AGE OF VOLCANIC ROCKS CONTINUED...........................................................286 CHAPTER XXXI. PLUTONIC ROCKS..................................................................................................295 CHAPTER XXXII. ON THE DIFFERENT AGES OF THE PLUTONIC ROCKS.................................302 CHAPTER XXXIII. METAMORPHIC ROCKS......................................................................................308 CHAPTER XXXIV. METAMORPHIC ROCKS CONTINUED.............................................................315 CHAPTER XXXV. ON THE DIFFERENT AGES OF THE METAMORPHIC ROCKS.......................319 CHAPTER XXXVI. MINERAL VEINS...................................................................................................324 INDEX.......................................................................................................................................................331 i The Student's Elements of Geology Sir Charles Lyell This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online. http://www.blackmask.com • PREFACE. • CHAPTER I. ON THE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF ROCKS. • CHAPTER II. AQUEOUS ROCKS. THEIR COMPOSITION AND FORMS OF STRATIFICATION. • CHAPTER III. ARRANGEMENT OF FOSSILS IN STRATA. FRESH−WATER AND MARINE FOSSILS. • CHAPTER IV. CONSOLIDATION OF STRATA AND PETRIFACTION OF FOSSILS. • CHAPTER V. ELEVATION OF STRATA ABOVE THE SEA. HORIZONTAL AND INCLINED STRATIFICATION. • CHAPTER VI. DENUDATION. • CHAPTER VII. JOINT ACTION OF DENUDATION, UPHEAVAL, AND SUBSIDENCE IN REMODELLING THE EARTH'S CRUST. • CHAPTER VIII. CHRONOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF ROCKS. • CHAPTER IX. CLASSIFICATION OF TERTIARY FORMATIONS. • CHAPTER X. RECENT AND POST−PLIOCENE PERIODS. • CHAPTER XI. POST−PLIOCENE PERIOD, CONTINUED. GLACIAL CONDITIONS. • CHAPTER XII. POST−PLIOCENE PERIOD, CONTINUED. GLACIAL CONDITIONS, CONCLUDED. • CHAPTER XIII. PLIOCENE PERIOD. • CHAPTER XIV. MIOCENE PERIOD. UPPER MIOCENE. • CHAPTER XV. LOWER MIOCENE (OLIGOCENE OF BEYRICH). • CHAPTER XVI. EOCENE FORMATIONS. • CHAPTER XVII. UPPER CRETACEOUS GROUP. • CHAPTER XVIII. LOWER CRETACEOUS OR NEOCOMIAN FORMATION. • CHAPTER XIX. JURASSIC GROUP. PURBECK BEDS AND OOLITE. • CHAPTER XX. JURASSIC GROUP CONTINUED. LIAS. • CHAPTER XXI. TRIAS, OR NEW RED SANDSTONE GROUP. • CHAPTER XXII. PERMIAN OR MAGNESIAN LIMESTONE GROUP. • CHAPTER XXIII. THE COAL OR CARBONIFEROUS GROUP. • CHAPTER XXIV. FLORA AND FAUNA OF THE CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD. • CHAPTER XXV. DEVONIAN OR OLD RED SANDSTONE GROUP. • CHAPTER XXVI. SILURIAN GROUP. • CHAPTER XXVII. CAMBRIAN AND LAURENTIAN GROUPS. • CHAPTER XXVIII. VOLCANIC ROCKS. • CHAPTER XXIX. ON THE AGES OF VOLCANIC ROCKS. • CHAPTER XXX. AGE OF VOLCANIC ROCKS CONTINUED. • CHAPTER XXXI. PLUTONIC ROCKS. • CHAPTER XXXII. ON THE DIFFERENT AGES OF THE PLUTONIC ROCKS. • CHAPTER XXXIII. METAMORPHIC ROCKS. • CHAPTER XXXIV. METAMORPHIC ROCKS CONTINUED. • CHAPTER XXXV. ON THE DIFFERENT AGES OF THE METAMORPHIC ROCKS. • CHAPTER XXXVI. MINERAL VEINS. • INDEX. The Student's Elements of Geology 1 The Student's Elements of Geology Produced by Sue Asscher [email protected] PREFACE. The LAST or sixth EDITION of my "Elements of Geology" was already out of print before the end of 1868, in which year I brought out the tenth edition of my "Principles of Geology." In writing the last−mentioned work I had been called upon to pass in review almost all the leading points of speculation and controversy to which the rapid advance of the science had given rise, and when I proposed to bring out a new edition of the "Elements" I was strongly urged by my friends not to repeat these theoretical discussions, but to confine myself in the new treatise to those parts of the "Elements" which were most indispensable to a beginner. This was to revert, to a certain extent, to the original plan of the first edition; but I found, after omitting a great number of subjects, that the necessity of bringing up to the day those which remained, and adverting, however briefly, to new discoveries, made it most difficult to confine the proposed abridgment within moderate limits. Some chapters had to be entirely recast, some additional illustrations to be introduced, and figures of some organic remains to be replaced by new ones from specimens more perfect than those which had been at my command on former occasions. By these changes the work assumed a form so different from the sixth edition of the "Elements," that I resolved to give it a new title and call it the "Student's Elements of Geology." In executing this task I have found it very difficult to meet the requirements of those who are entirely ignorant of the science. It is only the adept who has already overcome the first steps as an observer, and is familiar with many of the technical terms, who can profit by a brief and concise manual. Beginners wish for a short and cheap book in which they may find a full explanation of the leading facts and principles of Geology. Their wants, I fear, somewhat resemble those of the old woman in New England, who asked a bookseller to supply her with "the cheapest Bible in the largest possible print." But notwithstanding the difficulty of reconciling brevity with the copiousness of illustration demanded by those who have not yet mastered the rudiments of the science, I have endeavoured