464 Geological Societ I/. 



but none of them have been in activity of late years. The 

 great slicanis of lava have flowed from tlie peak : those of 

 ihe years 1704 and 1797 (^vhich was the last) are basaltic. 

 This latter tiow ed so slowly, notwithstanding the sharp de- 

 scent of the mountain, that it was several days in advancing 

 three miles. On the south-western side of the peak is an 

 ancient lava not at all decomposed several miles in Itncjth, 

 and in a perfect state of viirification resemblintr obsidian. 



Junes. The president in thechair. — Lord viseountValenlia 

 ai)d W. Frankliu; M. D. were elected ordinary members. 



"An account," by Thomas Webster, esq. (meml)er of 

 the Geological Society,) " of some new varieties ofAlcy- 

 onia, found in the Isle of Wiglit," was read. 



Jn viewing ihe rocks about Ventnor Cove and in various 

 parts of the undereliif, Mr. Webster remarked, in the 

 sandstone stratum immediately unrler the chaik-marl, a 

 great number of small prominences resemhhng in form 

 the branches of trees. They were of various, sizes, from 

 halt an inch to three or four inches in diameter : their sub- 

 stance was sandstone of the same kind as the rocks they 

 were in ; but the part resembling the bark was somewhat 

 harder, which enabled it to endure longer than the rest of 

 tbe stone, and thus project above its surface. St)me of 

 them were straight, others a little crooked, and in a few 

 instances he observed them forked. He found fragiDcnts 

 of these bodies in every part of the island where the 

 sandstone stratum can be seen, and particularly among 

 the masses of rock lying under the clifl's of Western Lines. 

 In this last place he found that the stems above described 

 had frequently heads or bulbous terminations attached to 

 them, in form somewhat resembling a closed tulip, and in 

 some of these he found distinct traces of organic structure, 

 from wiiich it appeared that these heads consisted of a 

 group of tubuLi now converted into and enveloped with 

 stony matter, {jesidcs these extraordinary shapes which pro- 

 jected in relief, Mr. VV. observed a variety of very regular 

 white tigure-j as if painted upon the^rock, being even with its 

 surface. Tbev consisted of circles from Uko inciics lu half 

 an'ineh in diameter, ellipses of various eccentricities, and 

 parallel lines both siraiirht and crooked. 



Ev a caretul exanunaiion Mr. W. found that these white fi- 

 gures beldUired to ihe(Jiher class of bodies already described; 

 that the cylindirs were only the internal psirts of the same 

 body, whose various sections formed the white circular and 

 elliptical figures. The vast masses of rock which have 

 fallen down, having separated from the ciitfat the divisions 



between 



