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Proceeding in a north-by-east direction to the village of Combarbala, we come to a third escarpment of the porphyritic conglomerate, dipping eastwards, and forming the outer range of the main Cordillera. The lower beds were here more jaspery than usual, and they included some white cherty strata and red sandstones, alternating with purple claystone porphyry.

From Combarbala to Coquimbo, I traversed the country in a zigzag direction, crossing and recrossing the porphyritic conglomerate and finding in the granitic districts an unusual number of mountain-masses composed of various intrusive, porphyritic rocks, many of them andesitic. One common variety was greenish-black, with large crystals of blackish albite.

Section from Illapel to Combarbala; gypseous formation with silicified wood. Panuncillo. Coquimbo; mines of Arqueros; section up valley; fossils. Guasco, fossils of. Copiapo, section up valley; Las Amolanas, silicified wood. Conglomerates, nature of former land, fossils, thickness of strata, great subsidence. Valley of Despoblado, fossils, tufaceous deposit, complicated dislocations of.

Near Coquimbo there is much hornblendic rock and various dusky-coloured porphyries. I will describe only one section in this district, namely, from near Illapel in a N.E. line to the mines of Los Hornos, and thence in a north by east direction to Combarbala, at the foot of the main Cordillera.