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And the following communication i'rom Capt. George W. 

 Huo-hes, of the Topographical Engineers, a member of the In- 

 stitution. 



To Fkancis Maukok, Jr., Esq., 



Corresponding Secretary of the ISutiuiial Jiistiiulion, Washington. 



London, Nqvember 26, 1840. 



Deau Sir : When I last wrote from Glasgow, I promisee] at a future period to 

 give some account of the proceedings of the British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science ; but circumstances force me to limit my plan, and this letter will, 

 therefore, he confined mainly to the proceedings of the Geological and Mechanical 

 sections at times when I was present. 



I left London on the 16th ultimo for Glasgow, in Scotland, where the A.ssocia- 

 tion held its meeting for 1840, and arrived at the place of my destination on the 

 18tb. The letters of which I was the bearer enabled me without delay to procure 

 a free ticket, which constituted me a member for the session. 



Among the number of distinguished persons convened on the occasion, to 

 whom I was presented, was Professor Phillips, who very politely remarked that he 

 could not accompany the geological excursion to Arran on the morrow, which had 

 been projected, and as there was but a limited number of tickets given, he would 

 transfer his own to me. I was sorry for the cause, but greatly obliged by his kind- 

 ness, as it was an expedition I was extremely anxious to join. We rose early, 

 breakfasted at Ardrossan, and embarked, about seventy in number, in the steamer 

 "Isle of Arran," fer the Isle of Arran. 



Mr. Murchison, who had previously visited Arran in company with Professor 

 Sedgwick, and reported on its geology, headed the section; and as we neared the 

 shore, commenced his lecture, from' the steamboat, on its geological structure. 

 Among his auditors were Messrs. Griffith, of Ireland, De La Beche, Buckland, 

 Jacobi, of St. Petersburg, Link, the great botanist from Berlin, and many others 

 of reputation. Owing to the precipitous nature of the ^shores and the perfect 

 calmness of the weather, our steamer, of light draught, was enabled to coast 

 along very near to the Island, thus favoring us with an opportunity cf mo.st 

 clearly recognising the superposition of the rocks and their various stratifica- 

 tion. We approached Arran near where the whole coal field is seen in epitome, 

 enclosed between the old conglomerate red sandstone and the new. The old red 

 sandstone, he says, ought to contain fossil fish, (and he thinks they will be found, 

 but as yet none have been discovered,) as this rock is known almost universally to 

 ubound with theni ; and he had found the same characteristic fossil throughout 

 Russia, it being of a species called by him Holop/i/c/iun Nobilit<i/nus, in honor of 

 his friend, the Rev. Mr. Noble. The new red sandstone contains producti and 

 other fossil remains of a kindred character. The series here dip north, descending, 

 and nfc overlaid by carbonate of lime. Within sight of Sannox, to the north, is 

 a remarkable hill rising to the height of 800 or 900 feet, called Craig-a-Caajow, 

 or the great icroulcment of rod conglomerate, largo mass-cs of which arc found 

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