466 Scientific Intelligence. [Dec. 



ing any former year ; and it is particularly gratifying, as a proof 

 ,f the great and increasing interest of the Institution with the 

 public, that this augmentation arises entirely from private dona- 

 tions — the liberality of some of its members compensating the 

 deficiencies which otherwise must have been produced by the 

 present incompetency of the Society's funds. The principal 

 contributors are J. H. Vivian, Esq. W. Maclure, Esq. A. Majen- 

 die, Esq. J. Paynter, Esq. Dr. Forbes, and the Rev. J. Rogers. 



In communicating this very gratifying information, the Coun- 

 cil cannot avoid expressing their regret that so few new speci- 

 mens have been obtained from the county mines ; and that 

 consequently the department of the cabinet set apart for the 

 reception of indigenous ores, which ought to be particularly rich 

 and splendid, continues to be defective, and is eclipsed by many 

 other collections, as well public as private — a circumstance 

 uniformly exciting the surprise of strangers. 



Considerable accession of information respecting the geolo- 

 gical structure of the county has been obtained, which, although 

 not very extensive, is valuable from its accuracy, and as it 

 furnishes plans which may be successfully extended to other 

 districts. The chief contributors in this way are Mr. Joseph 

 Came, the Rev. J. Rogers, and Dr. Forbes. 



The Council earnestly request the attention of members to 

 this — the grand object of the Institution. It is impossible for a 

 few members to undertake the investigation of the whole county. 

 It is, therefore, hoped that with the view of enabling the Society 

 to complete its long-promised, but still very defective geological 

 map, members will, in their respective districts, endeavour to 

 ascertain the nature and relations of the rocks, and transmit 

 their observations made, and specimens collected, from time to 

 time, to the Secretary, who will be very ready to assist their 

 inquiries by any advice or information in his power. Any person, 

 even although unacquainted with the principles of geological 

 science, can, it is obvious, collect specimens of the various rocks 

 in his vicinity : and members are requested to bear this in mind, 

 with the assurance that collections of this kind, with the various 

 localities of the specimens affixed, will very materially promote 

 the important object in view. One grand desideratum, and 

 which might be very easily supplied by members resident in the 

 different parts of the county, is to ascertain the exact limits of 

 the different Granite andKillas districts. The farmers and miners, 

 in any part of Cornwall, could give this information to any gen- 

 tleman that would take the trouble to record it, or to trace the 

 boundary lines on any of the county maps. 



Owing to the great expenses necessarily incurred by the esta- 

 blishment of a new museum, &c. the funds of the Society cannot 

 be said to be in the most flourishing state. It is however true, 

 that chiefly through the liberal donations of some distinguished 

 members, they are so far in a state of progressive improvement 

 as to permit the Council to promise that before the next annual 



