Geological Society. 467 



showint^ that the forms in which they at present exist, are 

 not those v nun belmie to those suhsiai.ces in their original 

 state, and conscqueiuTy ought not to aflFect their specific or 

 generic distinctions. 



A letter from E. L. Lton, esq describing some remark- 

 able tubes found in the drifted >and hi Drigg ^n Lancashire, 

 was read ; loaeiht-r with an accounc, uy W. H. Ptpys, 

 esq (Treasurt't^G. S.), of a chemical exaniinatiun made by 

 him ot the sub>tance of these tul)es. ... 



Th^«e tubes are nt-arlv in a perpendicular position, im- 

 bc.ided in the midst of the hills of drifted sand, on the sea 

 shore, without any comnuinication «iih the surface; and 

 thcre'are ramifications extending from them which gene- 

 rally pninl downwards and terminate in fine points. The 

 tube sent in the Society is above an inch m diameter, and 

 of an irretnilar form : the outside consists of black and 

 white sandW-ihitinated together; the inside is smooth, and 

 has a vitrified appearance. When dug out of the sand it 

 was soft, and in some degree flexible ; and the inside coat- 

 ing; at HS first exp<^sure to""the air was soft to the touch and 

 rafher unctuous ; but in less than a quarter of an hour it 

 hardened into the s'aie in which it now exists. 



The tube when found was filled with the sand of the hill, 

 and that sand is quite different from the sand of which the 

 outside «)f the tube consists. 



Both ih. sand and the vitreous part of the tube scratch 

 glass; and on the latter, when viewed by a lens, there are 

 seen small air-bkbs, such as are common to imperfect vi- 

 trification. Both are insoluble in iul|)buric and nitric 

 acids; infusible before the blowpipe without addition, and 

 partially fusible on the addition of boracic acid; biU with 

 soda a' complete fusion took place, and the residue was 

 nearly soluble in water. 



A 'paper bv Dr. M'CuUoch (member of the Society"), 

 <' Oil tlie vitrified Fort of Dun MacSniochain, neai Oban 

 in Argvleshire," was read. 



In^ihe di-cusSion which s^rne time ago took place re- 

 spert.ng the viintied forts of Scotland, the question en 

 which The two conteiidinti parties were most at issue, was, 

 whether the vitnficaii.n w'a- the efte. t of design or of acci- 

 dent.— It occurred to Dr. M that ligla miglu hethrown on 

 the subject by rxamining with mine:alo<;ical accuracy the. 

 substance of which these sirnrtr.res were composed, and 

 noting the changes which each had nndeig-vie in conse- 

 quence of th- lilts and also bv ohsrivmtr "hence the stoiu'i 

 had been derived which wore uiiv-U ui iheiv. ; *nd thai the 



question 



