Geological Society, 57 



whole of that country; although Dr. Bou6* and Professor Necker have 

 long since explained to their countrymen the general relations of its 

 rocks. It must be granted that the northern portion of Scotland has 

 received more than its fair proportion of attention ; for besides the 

 eminent geologists of the school of Hutton, who sought in it for the 

 proofs of the truth of the theory of their master, the crystalline and 

 trappaean rocks of those parts have met with ample and able com- 

 mentators in Jameson, Allan, Mackenzie, Hibbert, MacCulloch, 

 and other living authors j the nature of its sedimentary deposits 

 has been partly recorded in your Transactions by Professor Sedg- 

 wick and myself. In the central and southern division of Scotland, 

 however, and in the coal-fields particularly, we yet require many de- 

 scriptions of large tracts, and some general work, which, embracing 

 all the country between the borders of England and the rise of the 

 Grampian chain, shall inform us whether the regular coal-measures 

 are based upon mountain limestone, or descend, as it is stated they 

 do, in northern Northumberland and in Berwickshire, into the old red 

 sandstone. 



The Reverend Dr. Fleming has, I learn, obtained a clear knowledge 

 of the complicated and disturbed coal-field of Fifeshire, and has ex- 

 tended his researches to the south-eastern flanks of the Grampians: 

 we may, therefore, look with confidence to the result of his observa- 

 tions, while we express our wishes that this able naturalist may further 

 have it in his power to describe the relations of the great trappaean 

 range of the Ochills. 



If, however, we are led to anticipate some correct views of the 

 northern edges of this great vale, we shall still be strikingly deficient 

 in data concerning its southern division. Although Nithsdale has 

 been described by Mr. Monteith,the older chain of the Lead Hills, and 

 all the surrounding groups of the transition series, still require much 

 detailed examination. Let us, therefore, hope that Professor Jameson, 

 who has laboured to such good effect in the department of the un- 

 stratified and trappaean rocks, may, by his own efforts, and those of his 

 pupils, fill up these blanks in the secondary geology of his native 

 country. 



It is not, however, on the north side of the Tweed alone that defi- 

 ciencies exist. The English side of the Scottish border calls equally 

 for exploration; since we are still without any good account of the 

 porphyritic ridges of the Cheviots, although we may, I believe, expect 

 one from the pen of Mr. Culley. 



In England and Wales the difficulties attending the development 

 of the oldest sedimentary formations are, as you have seen, fast va- 

 nishing ; thanks to Professor Sedgwick, who, having fairly grappled 

 with this obscure yet indispensable branch of our subject, will shortly 

 lay before you the final results of many years of anxious labour. I have 

 endeavoured to extend, in the ascending order, these labours of my 

 friend, into the younger and more fossiliferous tracts upon the borders 

 of Wales, — to point out the formations into which they are divided, — 

 and to connect these with the old red sandstone and overlying depo- 



Third Series. Vol.3. No. 13. July 1833. 1 



