88 MR DAVID B. MORRIS ON 
the gravel and boulders come from? They can hardly have 
been brought down by the current, as the channel for many 
miles above is simply soft mud. It may be possible that 
the river has at this point cut into the boulder clay which 
underlies the brick clay and blue mud of the carse. The 
unequal size of the boulders and the appearance of the stones 
strengthens this view. They seem much liker the washings- 
out of boulder clay than river-worn gravel. 
The estuary of the Forth has had a marked influence on 
the lives of the people inhabiting its shores. It formed a 
convenient waterway for commerce, leading directly to the 
continent of Europe, and thus brought central Scotland from 
very early times into direct touch with the lite and 
business of the world. Round its coasts were many 
harbours where safe shelter for shipping could be found. 
The tides of the Firth were high, enabling large vessels to 
be carried far into its upper reaches. 
The River Forth, as an internal waterway, has, however, 
had comparatively little influence. It was never in such 
use as great English rivers like the Thames, Trent, and 
Severn were before railways were constructed. The Forth 
was too tortuous and vexed by tides and currents, although 
it was used much more at one time than now. Striking 
evidence of this is to be seen in the succession of old piers 
which line the banks of the river up as far as the mouth of 
the Allan. These were used by the farmers for the carriage 
of lime to their farms and for the export of produce. Such 
navigation extended to the limits of the tide. These piers 
served a further purpose in protecting the banks from the 
wearing action of the current. 
POPULATION. 
I have divided the area under consideration into three 
nearly equal districts, and have named them “ Highland,” 
“ Agricultural,” and “ Industrial,” according to the conditions 
which most prevail in each. Taking the parishes as 
convenient units of division, I have allocated them to these 
three districts, and [ give a table showing the area (approxi- 
