740 Meeting of the British Association. [ Oct., 
to a doctrine in Geology analogous to that of Mr. Darwin in Natural 
History; with reference to the second, he notices the observations of 
Dr. Dawson, of Montreal, upon the fossils found in the Laurentian 
rocks of, Canada,* which rocks “are of as old a date as any of the 
formations named azoic in Europe, if not older, so that they preceded in 
date rocks once supposed to have been formed before any organic beings 
had been created ;” and Sir Charles expresses the opinion that these 
observations of Dr. Dawson have demonstrated the theories founded 
‘“‘in Europe on mere negative evidence” to be “altogether delusive.” 
Throughout the whole of this admirable Address Sir Charles seems to 
have taken especial care, as we think wisely, net to commit himself 
definitely to any of the numerous theories which at present agitate the 
Geological world. 
In seconding a vote of thanks to the President, Sir Roderick 
Murchison, who differs from Sir Charles Lyell on some material ques- 
tions in Geology, nevertheless made a statement which it may be as 
well to transfer to these pages, as there may perhaps be here and there 
a few persons who entertain the belief that scientific men are never 
agreed on any subject which interferes with thei preconceived views. 
Such persons will find that, on certain geological doctrines which they 
bring their minds to consider with great reluctance as being opposed 
to those of tradition, there is now no difference of opinion whatever. 
‘Let me assure this assembly,’ said Sir Rederick, “that in all the 
grand leading data on which the history of geology is based we are 
completely united, and whether it be in recording the regular succes- 
sion of formations from the oldest to the youngest, the progression 
from lower to higher types of life, the enormously long periods which 
must have elapsed in the formation of deposits and their frequent 
change into crystalline conditions by that metamorphism which he has 
so skilfully expounded ; and lastly, in the evidences he has brought 
together to show that man must have coexisted with some of the great 
fossil mammalia. On all these subjects I hold the same opinions as 
himself; and I have ventured to make this explanation, because it 
seems to me essential that the public should not run away with the 
idea that because geologists occasionally disagree on points of theory, 
that there exists among them any divergence of opinion as to the 
great foundation stones on which their science has been reared.” 
PuysicaL Science. (Section A.) 
Phillips on the Physical Aspect of the Sun.—Miuller and Huggins on the 
Spectra of the Heavenly Bodies.—Claudet on Photosculpture. 
Amonest the large number of papers brought before this Section only 
a few are of general interest. ‘The greater number are mathematical, 
and of the physical papers not many will bear the condensation 
necessary for a report in our pages. We shall therefore omit all 
reference to such as cannot well be given in abstract. 
* «Quarterly Journal of Science,’ vol. i. p. 476. 
