60 THE ORDNANCE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHAP, n 



number of thoroughly wet days, when nothing can be 

 properly accomplished out of doors, is much less than 

 most people would be apt to believe. Hence, even 

 as far north as central Scotland, it is quite possible to 

 carry on geological surveying throughout the whole 

 year. And often the clear bracing air of December 

 allows nearly as much work to be done in a day as 

 can be accomplished in the warmer but more exhaust- 

 ing weather of June. Accordingly, it was no hardship 

 to Ramsay that, for the first year or two of his Survey 

 life, he spent the winters in South Wales. Thereafter 

 he generally came up to winter quarters in London, 

 the building in Craig's Court serving as the head 

 office of the Survey. 



As occupation for the members of the Survey dur- 

 ing the winter months there is generally a considerable 

 accumulation of indoor work which cannot be satis- 

 factorily completed in country quarters. The lines 

 traced on the field-maps have to be drawn on fresh 

 copies, or what are called 'dry-proofs' of the sheets, 

 and all the details must be inserted which are intended 

 to be published, preparatory to the engraving of the 

 work. The horizontal sections levelled in the country 

 have to be plotted to scale, and their geological details 

 to be inserted. There are likewise reports and descrip- 

 tions which require to be extended from the field note- 

 books. There is thus usually ample occupation to 

 keep the surveyors busy from the time when they drop 

 field-work towards Christmas till they resume it in 

 spring. 



In the early days of the Survey's history most 

 of the staff were young and unmarried. They took 

 lodgings in London, and generally dined two or three 

 or more together in some restaurant. Once a fort- 



