466 Geological Society, 



longing to animals which are now extinct, but only that 

 iheir recent analogues have not yet been brought to view. 



June 19. The president in the cluir. — Charles Bell, esq. 

 F. R. S. E., Daniel Moore, esq. F. R. S. &c., and the Rev. 

 Edward Slater, were elected ordinary members. 



A paper by Joseph Skey, M. D. enlilled " Some remarks 

 wpon the structure of Barhadoes, as connected with speci- 

 mens of its rocks," comnuinicated by Arthur Aikin, esq. 

 secretary, was read ; together with a Note by Mr. Paikin- 

 son on some of the specimens presented by Dr. Skey. 



The island of Barbadoes is lotallv unlike those immedi- 

 ately near it, both in appearance and in structure. The 

 land rises in a gentle swell from the coast towards the mid- 

 dle of the island, except in one small district, lis highest 

 hills do not exceed 800 or 900 feet, and their general direc- 

 tion is nearly N\V. and SE. Upon the north-eastern 

 coast the shores are bolder than in the other paYts of the 

 island, as is the case in many of the islands of these seas. 



Barbadoes is composed of limestone, in great part of 

 fossil madrepores, and traces of organic structure are to be 

 •met with in almost every part of the island, more particu- 

 larly along the whole of the S and SW. coast. 



The land which when seen from the sea appears to rise 

 uniformly from the coast, is observed on a nearer view to 

 consist of successive terraces rising in two or three grada- 

 tions, one above the other, each forming a plain of a quar- 

 ter or half a mile in breadth, and terminated by a cliff of 

 coral rock varying in elevation from twelve to twenty feet, 

 and sometimes considerably higher. 



Deep fissures have in many places of the island rent 

 asunder the cliffs, and these gullies (as they are called) are 

 continued across the terraces in irregular lines. Numerous 

 caves are every where to be met with, and they are some- 

 titnes of very large dimensions. 



On the S. and SW. side of the island there may be seen 

 at very low water a bed of calcareous sandstone dipping 

 SW. 'hirty degrees. To the eastward of the garrison of 

 St. Ann, there^is found a dull compact chalky-looking 

 limestone with ramose alcyonia, while considerably to tiie 

 westward the rock is more distinctly coralloidal. 



Upon the northern and north-eastern «ide of the island 

 is a small mountainous district colled Scotland. It consists 

 almost entirely of limestone, but of a kind less marked by 

 organic remains than in the other districts. 



In Mr. Parkinson's Note it is observed that some of Dr. 

 Skey's specimens illustrate the nature of some fossil corals; 



shov.'in^ 



