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to be looked for, distiirbing causes were close at hand, or in some other region 

 upon the same Geological platform. 



A mass of evidence had already been accumulated corroborative of this view, 

 and the proofs are almost sufficient to enable him to assert that the great geological 

 epochs have been ushered in by such periods of real disturbance, and that 

 quiescence, such as now obtains, reigned between. 



Beds of Conglomerate also had been found to form the boundary between 

 one system of life and another. Take, for example, from this locality, the Old 

 Red Conglomerate, which seems to usher in the Carboniferous series. The same 

 catastrophe which produced the Conglomerate seems also with only a very few 

 exceptions, to have annihilated the then existing jmimate creation. 



He did not mean to assert that there was there a great and positive break 

 ■in the chain of being, but what he did mean was that, although certain species 

 appeared to have lived on, there seemed to take place a change in the conditions 

 of the planet unfavourable to Ufe, and that the great proportion of then existing 

 species perished, a few being carried forward into the subsequent creation. 



He concluded by recommending an earnest study of the Conglomerates, 

 in relation to evidences of disturbance occurring on the same geological platform. 



Mr. Salter said that, when his friend had first propounded the opinions with 

 which he had just favoured the meeting, he was disposed to differ from him 

 in ioto ; but now, having studied the evidence for himself, he believed there was 

 little difference of opinion between them. He might mention one fact, which 

 went to prove that during the present geological period no fresh creation had 

 taken place. It is stated by Edward Forbes that the Baltic is a Sea of very recent 

 formation, extending far up into the Arctic regions. It may be almost called 

 an inland sea, }'et its inhabitants have migrated upwards from its mouth. Though 

 unadapted to a high northern latitude, still there the animals are, gradually 

 creeping upwards into those regions, stunted and dwarfed, it is true, yet at the 

 farthest point showing no specific dissimilarity. Almost the same may be 

 said of the Mediterranean Sea. 



He would wish to draw particular attention to the Conglomerate of the 

 " Old Red." There were people bold enough to assert that the Holopiychius 

 was a fresh-water fish, and that the deposit showed other evidence of not being 

 of marine origin. This was a point he was inclined to dispute, and it would 

 prove of great service to science if gentlemen would devote a little attention to 

 these rocks. To be sure, the formation yields its fossils slowly, and it was rather 

 discouraging to hammer away for a whole day without reward ; but it must be 

 remembered that one discovery was abundant success. And if the remains of 

 shark -like fishes could be detected, he believed it would go far to settle the question 

 as these fishes never inhabited fresh water. 



Another subject he would like to bring under the notice of geologists — the 

 desirability of collecting in this locality traces of anneUds and other similar 

 markings on the rocks. There were doubtless many ancient, soft -bodied animal?, 



