88 REPORT — 1855. 



In recapitulating, Sir Roderick expressed his conviction that the same series of the 

 older crystalline or nietamorphic rocks was several times repeated in the contiguous 

 tracts of Sutherland and Ross by great heaves of the masses, — such breaks being 

 often occupied by the chief lochs or firths. He also dwelt on the very remarkable fact, 

 that in these two northern counties there was an apparent symmetrical succession 

 from older to younger masses in proceeding from west to east. Even the physical 

 watershed of one portion of the region, as seen in the steep precipices of the Bealloch 

 of Kintail, only four miles distant from the western sea, indicated no anticlinal; the 

 flagstones of gneissose rocks there plunging rapidly to the east-south-east. In the 

 more southern portions of the Highlands, and where they usually still preserve the 

 same general strike, these crystalline strata are frequently thrown into anticlinal forms, 

 owing to the powerful intrusion of eruptive rocks ; so that from Fort WiUiam or 

 Ben Nevis southwards we have first in the porphyry of that mountain, and afterwards 

 in the porphyries and syenites of Glencoe or the granite of Ben Cruachan, as well as 

 in other points still further south, great centres of disturbance, by which the same 

 series of quartzose, micaceous, and chloritic rocks with limestones, but in which clay- 

 slate more prevails than in the north, is repeated in vast undulations, some of which 

 dip to the west- north-west and others to the east-south-east. One of the most 

 southern of these anticlinals may be seen in the centre of Loch Eck, where the 

 masses dip off to Strachur and Inverary on the north-west, and to the Clyde on 

 the south-east. 



In conclusion, the author enforced his view of the posteriority of the Old Red 

 Sandstone to all such crystalline rocks by showing (as indeed Prof. Sedgwick and 

 himself had done many years ago) that the coarse conglomerates of the Old Red 

 Sandstone series, not only wrapped round those ancient roeks, but were absolutely 

 made up of their fragments. He further adverted to the great diversity of the 

 strike and dip of the two classes of rock and of their entire unconformity to each 

 other, of which he cited an instructive example at the head of Loch Keeshorn, 

 and the lofty massive mountains of the Old Red Sandstone of Applecross, the 

 beds of which have a steady, slight inclination of 10° or 12° to the north-west, 

 whilst the low flanking and conterminous primary limestones, quartzites, mica- 

 schists and gneissose rocks extending from Keeshorn to Loch Carron plunge 

 rapidly to the east-south-east. In short, whilst the hmestone of Durness in Suther- 

 land (identical in its mineral characters and associations with that of Keeshorn in 

 Ross) is of very remote antiquity, the Old Red Sandstone is composed of the 

 regenerated materials of such older rocks, and distinctly overlaps them in discordant 

 positions. 



New Geological Map of Europe exhibited. By Sir Roderick I. Murchi- 

 soN, D.C.L., F.R.S. ^c, and Professor James Nicol, F.R.S.E., F.G.S. 



This new Map of Europe was stated by Sir R. Murchison to be an extension to 

 Western Europe of the Map of Russia and the conterminous countries, published in 

 the year 1845 by himself and his associates ; the same classification being con- 

 tinued. 



The chief new feature is the addition of the geology of Spain as prepared by M. 

 de Verneuil. As the previous Map of Russia comprehended by much the largest 

 half of Europe, the present work would have been completed long ago had it not 

 been desirable to postpone it until a due acquaintance with the Iberian peninsula had 

 Deen obtained. 



[The Map is published by Messrs, Johnston of Edinburgh, and may be had 

 separately from the Physical Atlas.] 



On Striated Rocks and other Evidences of Ice-Action observed in the North 

 of Scotland. By James Nicol, F.R.S.E., F.G.S., Professor of Natural 

 History in the University of Aberdeen. 



The author described several evidences of ice-action observed in the north of 

 Scotland during a recent excursion with Sir Roderick I. Murchison. These were, 

 1st. Striated rocks; the more remarkable instances were the following: — Strath 

 Garve for many miles above Contin, where the sides of the valley are covered with 



