Beneath some variegated
sandstones (not belonging to the Trias, though often confounded with it) they
came down first upon a dolomitic limestone corresponding to the upper part of
our Middle Permian, and then upon a marl-slate richly impregnated with copper
pyrites, and containing fish and reptiles (Protosaurus) identical in species
with those of the corresponding marl-slate of Durham. To the limestone they gave
the name of Zechstein, and to the marl-slate that of Mergel-schiefer or Kupfer-
schiefer. Beneath the fossiliferous group lies the Rothliegendes or Rothtodt-
liegendes, meaning the red-lyer or red-dead-lyer, so-called by the German miners
from its colour, and because the copper had DIED OUT when they reached this
underlying non-metalliferous member of the series. This red under-lyer is, in
fact, a great deposit of red sandstone, breccia, and conglomerate with
associated porphyry, basalt, and amygdaloid.
According to Sir R. Murchison, the Permian rocks are composed, in Russia, of
white limestone, with gypsum and white salt; and of red and green grits,
occasionally with copper ore; also magnesian limestones, marl-stones, and
conglomerates.
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