Proceedings of the Wernerian Society of Edinburgh. 



211 



" Various other concomitant phenomena of an unusual charac- 

 ter were noticed, such as the evolution of electricity, the diffusion 

 throughout the atmosphere of something- which caused a smell, 

 variously described as ' metallic,' ' sulphureous,' and like the 

 ' washing's of guns ;' as also the appearance in various parts of 

 Strathearn of a fine black powder, which appeared to consist 

 chiefly of carbonaceous, and partly of siliceous and calcareous 

 matter. 



" IV. The last part of the paper was devoted to remarks on the 

 way in which the undulation of the earth's surface was caused, 

 and the circumstances which may have produced the earthquakes. 



" In reference to the first point, various reasons were assigned 

 why the phenomena were more intelligible on the supposition 

 that they were caused by vibrations transmitted through the solid 

 crust of the earth than on the theory supported by many, that 

 they were caused by undulations in the body of molten matter on 

 which the earth's crust may be resting. These vibrations were 

 probably caused by ruptures or explosions at a considerable depth 

 beneath the earth's surface. 



" In regard to the cause of these ruptures, it was observed that 

 the hills in the immediate neighbourhood of Strathearn are chiefly 

 primitive, and of igneous origin, and that there are numerous 

 greenstone and basaltic dykes, indicating renewed volcanic action 

 at subsequent periods. There are apparently extensive fissures in 

 the earth's crust in this part of Perthshire. It was also observed 

 that, during the month previous to the occurrence of the earth- 

 quake, the atmospheric pressure had been greatly less than usual ; 

 and that the quantity of rain which fell was almost unprecedented 

 in the central parts of Scotland. There appeared to be some con- 

 nection between the state of the atmosphere in both these respects 

 and the occurrence of the earthquakes, judging from some obser- 

 vations made last autumn, but more particularly from the frequent 

 coincidence of shocks in former years with a similar state of the 

 atmosphere. Some views were offered as to the influence which 

 these circumstances might have in giving rise to the earthquakes. 



" Notice was taken of shocks which had been felt in other parts 

 of Europe, at the time that shocks occurred in Scotland.*' 



Proceedings of the JFernerian Natural History Society. 

 (Continued from Vol. xxix. p. 177.) 

 The thirty-fourth Session commenced on the lith November 1840, 

 Professor Jameson, P., in the Chair. The following office-bearers were 



elected for 1841 :— 



President. 



Robert Jameson, Esq. F.R.SS.L. & E., Professor of Natural History in 



the University of Edinburgh. 



Vice-Presidents. 



Dr Waltbh Adam. W. A. Catobll, Esq. F.E.SS.L. & K. 



Dr T. S. Traill, F.R.S.E. Dr Robert Hamilton, F.R.S.E. 



