Contents.
1. Literature of the subject and Introductory matter.
2. General description of the west Coast.
3. General description of the east Coast.
(a) The coast south of Coverack Cove.
(b) The Igneous Rocks of Coverack Cove.
4. Some inland sections.
5. Summary of inferences.
6. Microscopic examination of the Serpentine.
7. Conclusion.
8. Analyses of the rocks.
Literature of the Subject.
The following papers occur in the 'Transactions of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall:'—
"Sketch of the Geology of the Lizard District," by A. Majendie, i. p. 32.
"Hints on the Geology of Cornwall," by Sir H. Davy, i. p. 38.
"On the Serpentine District of Cornwall," by the Rev. J. Rogers, ii. p. 416.
"Contributions towards a Knowledge of the Geology of Cornwall," by H. S. Boase, iv. p. 160.
The subject is also treated in the following works:—
"On the Physical Structure of the Lizard District," by Professor Sedgwick (Trans. Cambridge Phil. Soc. i. p. 291).
"Report on the Geology of Cornwall and Devon," by H. T. De la Beche (published 1839).
"On the Serpentinite of the Lizard," by Profs. W. King and T. H. Rowney (Phil. Mag. ser. 5, vol. i. p. 280).
In the last of these papers the authors maintain the metamorphic character of the serpentine, but consider it probably an altered pyroxenic rock, like that of Bufaure in the Fassa-Thal. The paper appears to have been mainly written with the view of calling attention to imitative organic, especially Foraminiferal structures. So far as my experience goes, any thing of this kind is very rare.
The great work of Sir H. De la Beche, and the shorter paper of Professor Sedgwick, are models of careful observation; and several things mentioned hereafter have been already noticed by them. The former author strongly inclines to the belief that the serpentine is of igneous origin, though he admits some difficulties. The latter is of the same opinion, but suggests that the gabbro, greenstone (including some of what we now should call hornblende schist), and serpentine may be portions of the same igneous mass, which varied
