130 REPORT— 1878. 



Report of Committee, consisting of Professor Harkness and Mr. 

 William Jolly (H. M. Inspector of Schools), reappointed for 

 the purpose of investigating the Fossils in the North-west High- 

 lands of Scotland. By Mr. Jolly, Secretary. 



At last year's meeting of the Association at Plymouth, the old Committee 

 was reappointed for the discovery of fossils in remote parts of the North- 

 west Highlands of Scotland. One of the most active members of the 

 Committee, and of this Association, the well-known Dr. James Bryce, who 

 had given special attention to the problem of the nature and succession of 

 the rocks of the North-west Highlands, and had frequently studied it on 

 the spot, has perished since last Report, in the prosecution of his favourite 

 science, at Inverfarigaig, near the Falls of Foyers, on the shores of Loch 

 Ness, a loss to science and to friendship. 



For several years the Committee have carried on diggings at various 

 points along the great limestone strike that runs from Durness and Loch 

 Eribol, near Cape "Wrath, to Loch Kishorn, opposite Skye. These were 

 made chiefly by various local parties resident in the district and interested 

 in the subject, by Dr. Bryce, and by the Secretary, whose official duties 

 as Inspector of Schools have given him unwonted opportunities for this 

 purpose. The fossils discovered were obtained almost entirely in the 

 Durness Limestone, an isolated basin on the Kyle of Durness, fourteen 

 miles east of Cape Wrath. The only other place where fossils have been 

 found in the limestone is at Inchnadamph, on Loch Assynt, in the west of 

 Sutherland. These consist of a single fragment of Orthoceratite, dis- 

 covered many years ago by the lynx-eyed Mr. Peach, and spoken of in 

 Sir Roderick Murchison's valuable paper on these rocks ; and another 

 piece, found by the Secretary, which may turn out to be organic, and 

 which is sent for examination to the present meeting of the Association. 



The purpose for which the Committee was originally appointed was to 

 obtain as many fossils as possible from this limestone and its associated 

 rocks, in order that a more decided determination of the kind and age of 

 the fossils might be made, than was possible when Mr. Salter wrote his 

 monograph on the few fragmentary specimens discovered by Mr. Peach in 

 the Durness limestone, and submitted to him for examination. The Com- 

 mittee, after working for some years, succeeded in obtaining a considerable 

 collection of fossils mostly from the same limestone. These were placed 

 under Dr. Bryce's care, and remained with him until his sudden death. 

 Unfortunately, however, on account of his unexpected decease, his collec- 

 tion of fossils was left in a more or less scattered and unmarked state, and 

 though careful search has been made in his house, the Durness specimens 

 have not yet been found. The Secretary has also corresponded with 

 several of his scientific friends on the subject, and with the Jermyn Street 

 Museum, with no better success. Mr. Ralph Tate, to whom it was known 

 Dr. Bryce purposed submitting them, is now in Australia, and could not 

 be communicated with in time for the present meeting. It is sincerely to 

 be hoped that the loss of these fossils is not irretrievable, but that further 

 search will be successful. This will be made in all possible quarters, and 

 the Secretary trusts to be able to report their discovery to the next meet- 

 ing of the Association. 



During the past year, through the good offices of several local friends, 

 particularly the Rev. W. C. M. Grant, the minister of Durness, who 

 has all along taken the most intelligent interest in the subject, and given 



