Geological Notes. 350 



I. — Geological Notes. By Mr James Watt. 



In these interesting notes Mr Watt summarised in a concise 

 manner the leading geological features of the two countries. It 

 was shown that in England examples of the whole rocks forming 

 the earth's crust in all its divisions of primary, secondary, tertiary, 

 and post-tertiary, with the single exception of Miocene system, 

 were to be found. And, such being the case, it was held that it 

 was not too much to say that England, for the extent of its area, 

 affords to the geologist and naturalist the most interesting field 

 for observation of any country in the whole world; and this 

 particularly on account of the abundance and variety of fossilised 

 organic remains to be found in strata of secondary and tertiary 

 times. 



With regard to Scottish geology it was shown that its interest- 

 ing features were of quite a different order from those of the 

 sister country. In Scotland the secondary series of rocks, includ- 

 ing the great Jurassic system, so rich in fossils, and the whole of 

 the tartiaries were almost entirely absent. The exceptions were 

 chiefly the great masses of volcanic rocks of tertiary age in the 

 west of Scotland, in Skye, Mull, and other islands, where they 

 rise in huge cliffs above the sea ; as also by a great number of 

 volcanic dykes which had risen through rents in the crust of the 

 earth in different parts of the country. In addition a number 

 of fossiliferous sedementary patches of rock in certain districts 

 were mentioned. But upon the whole, it was shown that 

 practically the geology of Scotland was notable, and most in- 

 teresting from the fact that the mountains and whole surface 

 belong to either the most ancient, the primary or Palaeozoic or 

 to the most recent, the Pleistocene, with all the debris of the 

 glacial age, grooved and striated rock surfaces, punched blocks, 

 and great masses of boulder clay. 



Dumfries Craigs. 



The late Dr Harkness, of Dumfries, communicated a paper 

 to the Journal of the Edinburgh Geological Society, in which he 

 propounded the theory that these cliffs (the Craigs) were caused 

 by two faults. That is, that a portion of the rock surface had 

 been displaced and thrown down, leaving the cliffs as we now 

 see them. I am aware that the officers of the Survev who 



