98 EEPORT 1871. 



for regret. Only witliin the last few montlis Le founded a Cliair of Geology in tlie 

 University within whose walls we are now assembled — the first and only chair of 

 the kind m Scotland. It would have been a fitting and grateful duty on the part 

 of the University to welcome one of its most distinguished benefactors. I am 

 well aware, indeed, that this Section-room is no place for the obtrusion of personal 

 sentiments ; yet I would fain be allowed to add in conclusion an expression of my 

 own deep regret at the recent illness and consequent absence of one to whom, over 

 and above the admiration which we aU feel for his life-long labours and his per- 

 sonal character, many years of friendly intercourse have bound me by the closest 

 ties of affection, 



FossUiferous Strata at Loehend near Edhiburgli By D. Gkieve. 



The strata to which this notice refers are situated on the east side of the Loch, 

 and appear in the Trap precipice, on which stand the ruins of the ancient Keep of 

 the Logans of Eestalrig. ^Vlthough it was conjectured, it was not known, imtil 

 Mr. Grieve found distiuctive fossils in these strata, that the Carboniferous forma- 

 tion, so largely spread over the site of Edinburgh and its neighbourhood, extended 

 so far to the eastward ; and it would now appear that these form a continuity of 

 the strata and shales found some years ago on the north side of the Calton Hill. 

 They are of the Loxccr Carboniferous formation, and seem to be equivalents of the 

 sandstones and shales of Burdiehouse on the south, and "NVardie and Granton on 

 the north and west of Edinburgh. 



The fossils found hy Mr. Grieve at Loehend he enumerates as follows : — Of 

 Plants, Calamites of a large and well-marked species, a Lepidodendron and Lepi- 

 dophyllum, with various Sphenopterites. Of Fishes, a beautiful specimeaa of the 

 genus PaI(Fonisciis ; also scales, teeth, spines, and coprolites. Lastly, a Crustacean, 

 Cypris Scoto Biirdiyalensis, or of an allied species. 



It is to be regretted that the quany from which the above fossils were obtained 

 has now been obliterated in the course of agiicultural improvements. 



On the position of Oryanic Remains near Burntisland. By G, J. Geiete. 



On "The Boidder Drift and Esker Hills of Ireland,'" and " On the position of 

 Erratic Bloclcs in the Country." By Sir RicnAED Gkiffith, Bart.,F.R.S. 



Sir Ilich.ard commenced by giving a short description of his geological map, and 

 mentioned that the direction of the mountain-ranges generally, as well as the stiike 

 of the strata, ranged from north-west to south-east. He stated that the position 

 of Ireland with respect to Europe was further to the west into the Atlantic Ocean, 

 and that on the west side were numerous deep bays, guarded by promontories 

 composed of hard rocks, while on tlie east side the coast was only slightlj' indented 

 on any part. He mentioned that the coast of Ireland all round was composed of 

 mountains, while the interior was nearly flat, and that the rock of that plain was 

 altogether composed of Carboniferous limestone. He stated that a line drawn from 

 Sligo Bay on the west to Drogheda Bay on the east, woidd form the northern 

 boundary of the great plain, while the southern boundary might be shown by a 

 line drawn from Galway Bay on the west to Dublin Bay on the east, comprehend- 

 ing an area of 5000 square miles. This large district was divided into nearly two 

 equal parts by the river Shannon, whose source was near Lough Allen, in the 

 county of Cavan, elevated 160 feet above the level of the sea, while the length of 

 its course to the sea, at Limerick, was 140 miles, giving an average fall of 1 foot 

 2 inches in a mile; and he further stated that this fall was not equally dis- 

 tributed, as between Limerick and Kildare, a distance of 12 miles, was a fall of 

 98 feet, showing that from the distance of 128 miles between Lough Allen and 

 Killaloe, there was an average faU of less than G inches in a mile. The great 

 centi-e plain, ah-eady described as containing 5000 square miles, contained 1,000,000 

 acres of bogs, each of which was surrounded by diift resting on the top of the 



