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 XXXII. Geological Account of Roxburghshire. By DAVID MILNE, Esq ., F.R.S.E. 



[Read 5th December 1842 and 9th January 1845.] 



IT seems extraordinary, that no one should have undertaken a geological sur- 

 vey of Roxburghshire, more especially as the counties to the east and west of it 

 have been examined, and accounts of their formations were published some 

 years ago. It cannot be from its uninteresting character, that the intervening dis- 

 trict has been neglected ; for it presents as great a variety of apparently distinct 

 formations, as there are in the adjoining counties of Dumfries and Berwick ; and 

 some of these have long been the special subjects of speculation and controversy 

 among geologists. The British Association, in the Report of its Meeting held at 

 Cambridge in 1833, propounded the following questions for geological inquiry. 



" 1. Is the red sandstone of Kelso contemporaneous with that of Salisbury 

 Crags ; and what relation do they respectively bear to the adjacent coal-fields ? 



" 2. What is the exact northern boundary of the coal-field of the River 

 Liddettf 



" 3. What are the relations as to age of the two series of whin-rocks, one 

 running north-east along the Liddell in Roxburghshire, the other south-east in the 

 neighbourhood of Melrose and Jedburgh ?" 



These questions show the opinion entertained by the Geological Section of the 

 Association, as to the interesting geological character of Roxburghshire. But the 

 questions which they propounded have never received an answer ; a result not 

 surprising in regard to the last of these questions, as it calls for an explanation of 

 facts which really have no existence. A stronger proof could scarcely be adduced 

 of the ignorance prevailing among our best geologists, of Roxburgh geology. 



In describing the different formations existing in this county, I shall treat of 

 ihem,Jirst, with reference to the state in which they now are ; and, second, with 

 reference to the causes which have apparently produced that state. 



I shall describe the formations in the following order : 



I. The Stratified or aqueous rocks. 

 II. The Unstratified or igneous rocks. 

 III. The Diluvial or post-tertiary deposits. 



I shall not attempt by words, to define the geographical limits of these seve- 

 ral formations, but content myself with referring to the accompanying map (Plate 

 XII.), the colours on which represent the several classes of rocks I am now about 

 to describe, and will at once shew the extent of each. 



VOL. XV. PART III. 6 B 



