290 OBAN TO AYR. [l878. 



when a visit was made to the large quarry of coarse 

 black slate with the great Old Red conglomerate in 

 apparent juxtaposition, just outside the town. The 

 Professor had previously detected traces of the 10 -feet 

 raised beach on the south end of Kerrera : now in Oban 

 he noted that " a fine example of the 40-feet raised 

 beach is exposed at the back of the United Presby- 

 terian Church and of Victoria Place." The 10 -feet 

 raised beach on the north side of the Great Western 

 Hotel was examined. In short, his notes of Dun- 

 staffnage and of the geology round Oban are volum- 

 inous. But he had not done with Kerrera, and before 

 leaving the district another day was spent in going 

 over the northern coast of the island, when only slight 

 traces of the 10-feet beach were met with. 



The journey to Inverary by the Pass of Brander and 

 Dalmally supplied abundant material for geological 

 notes, as did in especial the entrance to Glen Orchy 

 with its hummocks of moraine. The observations on 

 the route from Inverary to Lochgoilhead are on the 

 distribution of boulders and glacial drift, the glacial 

 gravel on the side of Loch Long, and on the glaciation 

 of the rocks on the side of Loch Goil. Detention at 

 Greenock station was the occasion for exploration of a 

 railway-cutting through moraine matter. The shelving 

 shores of Largs afforded no clear section, but two miles 

 inland a grass-grown cliff was noted, and beyond Fairlie 

 a range of inland cliffs. The evidence at Ardrossan 

 was negative. Here Mr Herbert Spencer happened to 

 enter their railway -carriage, continuing his journey 

 southwards, while Professor and Mrs Prestwich alighted 

 at Ayr. With what infinite patience and thoroughness 

 the coast was explored on to Girvan and thence on to 

 Stranraer ! The quest for raised beaches was a sue- 



