190 SCHOOL OF MINES AND MUSEUM CHAP, vi 



reposing, Rest in their timber-glass tombs, delighting 

 the eyes of the public ; Telling a tale of past epochs, 

 a tale of the forests primeval, When mighty batrachians 

 crawled o'er the mud that encircled their rootlets, And 

 the convex Productus clung by byssus to stem and to 

 stump, sir ; Like to the oysters that stick to the 

 mangroves afar by the Quorra. Quoth 



ANDW. C. RAMSAY. 



The approaching completion of all the work in 

 North Wales, and especially the recent surveys in 

 Anglesey, where some of the Director - General's 

 mapping had been revised and modified by his 

 subordinates, made De la Beche desirous of con- 

 sulting Ramsay on the ground relative to these 

 changes. Accordingly, he asked his lieutentant to 

 meet him at Holy head on his return from Ireland. 

 The diary thus records the meeting : 



' 2^th September. Got to Holyhead at half-past six, 

 and found Sir Henry perfectly jolly, but very feeble 

 on his legs. We spent an exceedingly pleasant even- 

 ing together, talking on all sorts of subjects most 

 unreservedly ; I felt quite filial towards him. 



' 2$th. Wet day. First we had a spread of the 

 map, with which he was hugely delighted, especially 

 about the Permian story. Then I wrote sixteen 

 letters, and then we had a little walk before dinner. 

 He looked quite feeble, and like an old man in his 

 walk. It quite grieved me to see him, and I felt my 

 affection growing stronger for him as we walked along, 

 he leaning heavily on my arm, and using a stout stick 

 besides. In the evening we were again very confi- 

 dential. He talked about his daughters, their abilities, 

 Kendall, and all his past life. 



