MIA, 



Always practicable, the exploration of new regions, 

 the tra\ ciler U ncccasarily confined to hi* line 

 of route, hut hi-ti- lie has nevertheless to report on 

 the geology of many thousands of square miles of 

 ry, should be placed in the hands of men trained 

 in geological v That this arrangement would 



be of advantage will !><. I think, admitted, when we 

 have entered a little more Into the details of field- 

 No questions are probably put so frequently to the 

 field-geologist as these " How do you know wha 

 beneath the surface soil? Do you dig or bore? 1 ' 

 When he replies that ho neither digs nor bores, yet can 

 : y infer with considerable confidence what must be 

 the nature of the rock underneath, his statement is 

 received with a look of bewilderment or a half -incredu- 

 lous smile. But though the geologist does not usually 

 dig or bore, he avails himself of every artificial opening 

 that offers information with regard to the rocks beneath 

 the surface. Kvery natural exposure of rock comes 

 under e. If there is a coast -line, he makes a 



prelin .verse of it, to ascertain the general nature 



of the rocks. He ascends one or more of the stream- 

 courses for the same purpose. If there is any com- 

 manding hill in tlu he makes an early excursion 

 to its top, that he may gain some general idea of the 

 form of the ground and the probable distribution of the 

 geological formations, so far as may be indicated by the 

 landscape. On such occasions he will find the very 

 great advantage of being able to sketch in his note-book 

 an outline ut the landscape, By so doing, he fixes the 



