Earth Sculpture; Or, The Origin of Land-forms

For the use of several illustrations (Figs. 8, 25, 26, 75, 78) from Major Powell's Canyons of the Colorado, I am indebted to his publishers, Messrs. Flood & Vincent. I am under similar obligations to the Council of the Geological Society for a section (Fig. 34) borrowed from my brother's paper on the North-west Highlands; to Mr. Stanford for reproductions of illustrations (Figs. 77, 83, 87, 88) from my Outlines of Geology; to Herr Tempsky, Vienna, for Figs. 41, 45, 56, from Kirchhoff's Länder kunde des Erdteils Europa; and to my friend, Mr. W. E. Carnegie Dickson, for the photographs reproduced on Plates I. and II.

EDINBURGH, July 1, 1898.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTORY

Early views as to origin of Surface-features-Rocks and Rock-

structures-Architecture of the Earth's Crust-General evidence of

Rock-removal.

CHAPTER II

PAGE

Chemical composition of Rocks-Epigene Agents-Insolation and

Deflation-Chemical and mechanical action of Rain-Action of

Frost; of Plants and Animals; of underground Water; of Brooks

and Rivers-Rate of Denudation-Denudation and Sedimentation

go hand in hand.

CHAPTER III

LAND-FORMS IN REGIONS OF HORIZONTAL STRATA

Various factors determining Earth Sculpture-Influence of Geo-

logical Structure and the Character of Rocks in determining the Con-

figuration assumed by Horizontal Strata-Plains and Plateaux of

Accumulation.

CHAPTER IV

LAND-FORMS IN REGIONS OF GENTLY INCLINED STRATA 73

Escarpments and Dip-slopes-Dip-valleys and Strike-valleys-

Forms assumed by a Plateau of Erosion-Various directions of Es-

carpments-Synclinal Hills and Anticlinal Hollows-Anticlinal

Hills.

CHAPTER V

LAND-FORMS IN REGIONS OF HIGHLY FOLDED AND DIS-

TURBED STRATA

Typical Rock-structures in Regions of Mountain-uplift—General

Structure of Mountains of Upheaval-Primeval Coincidence of Un-

derground Structure and External Configuration-Relatively weak

and strong Structures-Stages in the Erosion of a Mountain-chain—
Forms assumed under Denudation-Ultimate face of Mountain-chains.

CHAPTER VI

LAND-FORMS IN REGIONS OF HIGHLY FOLDED AND DIS-

TURBED STRATA (continued).

Structure and Configuration of Plateaux of Erosion-Forms as-

sumed under Denudation-Mountains of Circumdenudation-His-

tory of certain Plateaux of Erosion-Southern Uplands and Northern

Highlands of Scotland-Stages in Erosion of Table-lands.

CHAPTER VII

LAND-FORMS IN REGIONS AFFECTED BY NORMAL FAULTS

OR VERTICAL DISPLACEMENTS

Normal Faults, general features of-Their connection with Folds

-Their origin-How they affect the Surface-Faults of the Colorado

region, and of the Great Basin-Depression of the Dead Sea and the

Jordan-Lake Depressions of East Africa-Faults of British Coal-

fields-Bounding faults of Scottish Highlands and Lowlands-Fault-

bounded Mountains-General conclusions.

CHAPTER VIII

LAND-FORMS DUE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO IGNEOUS

ACTION.

Plutonic and Volcanic Rocks-Deformation of Surface caused by

Intrusions-Laccoliths of Henry Mountains-Volcanoes, Structure
and Form of Mud-cones - Geysers-Fissure-eruptions - Volcanic
Plateaux-Denudation of Volcanoes, etc., and resulting features.

CHAPTER IX

INFLUENCE OF ROCK CHARACTER IN THE DETERMINA-

TION OF LAND-FORMS

Joints in Rocks and the part they play in determining Surface-

features Texture and Mineralogical composition of Rocks in rela-
tion to Weathering-Forms assumed by various Rocks.

LAND-FORMS MODIFIED BY GLACIAL ACTION