Geological Society. 381 



tains two memoirs by Messrs. Nicholas Wood and Witham, illus- 

 trative of fossil vegetables. Mr. W. C. Trevelyan and Messrs. F. 

 and M. Forster have contributed interesting notices of trap-dykes, 

 and of their effects when in contact with limestone, sandstone, and 

 coal : Mr. Williamson Peile, a description of a group of dykes in 

 the Whitehaven Colliery. The Lothian coal-field in Scotland is 

 sketched by Mr. W. Dunn, who also gives an account of a colliery 

 explosion : and Mr. Francis Forster, a colliery viewer of Northum- 

 berland, has communicated a memoir on the South Welsh coal-basin, 

 which contains much practical information, and evinces considerable 

 knowledge in chemistry and mineralogy. I would here, however, 

 remark that this district has for many years been under the exami- 

 nation of Mr. Conybeare, some of whose views of the relations of 

 that most remarkable basin have already been recorded in the Par- 

 liamentary Report of 1830 upon the coal trade *. 



During a late visit to this district, I found with much pleasure, that 

 our Vice-President had already nearly perfected an extensive geolo- 

 gical map, and had ascertained the existence of a most important 

 anticlinal line, which had been overlooked by Martin and older ob- 

 servers, and of which Mr. Forster, whose personal examination has 

 been confined to the region west of Swansea, seems to have been 

 ignorant. I hope that another Anniversary will not pass away before 

 the appearance of the long expected memoir of Mr. Conybeare. 



Notwithstanding the magnitude of the project, the Natural History 

 Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, supported by the proprietors of 

 the adjoining counties, has resolved to undertake the completion of a 

 geological and mineral mop of Northumberland, Cumberland, and 

 Durham, with a part of Westmoreland, on which are to be desig- 

 nated all the mines worked out, and the probable range of coal and 

 other minerals yet unexplored. 



A similar praiseworthy spirit had previously actuated the proprietors 

 of the county of Mayo in Ireland, who, by a happy choice, employed 

 Mr. Bald to pre})are an original map of their county, on the scale of 

 two inches to a mile j and to trace u|)on accompanying sections the 

 whole of its ascertained mineral structure — a task which has now been 

 accomplished by that most able surveyor in a style of so great beauty 

 and accuracy, that I have no hesitation in pronouncing it to be unique 

 in this department of art. A deep conviction of the value of such 

 surveys, could alone have stimulated individuals to engage in such 

 arduous undertakings : and their accomplishment affords a tri- 

 umphant answer to those who, in their ignorance, have scoffed at 

 geology as a science of no practical application. 



Having touched upon the subject of maps, I am sure that I express 

 the feelings of every geologist, in saying, that we have derived the 

 greatest aid from many of the gentlemen employed in the Ordnance 

 Survey. The necessary and intimate connexion between their voca- 

 tion and our own, is too apparent to require any comment ; but in 

 proof of it, I may cite one of my predecessors. Dr. Filton, a.s having 



* Sec Mr. Conybeare's letter on this subject, in our Number for Febru- 

 ary.— Edit. 



been 



