SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— E. 575 



finds its widest extension and greatest economic importance in central areas, e.g. at 

 Glenboig. The Coal Measures proper, finally, are thickost and richest in the east, 

 but are more completely preserved in the west, central and western areas, where 

 they lie buried under Barren Red Measures and later rocks to form a little concealed 

 coalfield round Manchline. In thi^ area, however, volcanic activity seems to have 

 ruined the coal that erosion spared. 



We ivill attempt to point out a few facts with regard to the various fields — it 

 required fifteen volumes of the Geological Survey to describe them. 



The Ayi'shire coalfield is relativel}' insignificant to-day, despite its area. There 

 are two main sections — the Irvine basin north of Troon, the Ayr basin to the south. 

 The northern basin has Ions been worked by numerous small old-fashioned pits along 

 the river. Export via Irvine and Ardrossan was once quite important. In the 

 southern basin mines are few and scattered. 



Tiie Central Field may best be considered as a wide trough extending from Hamilton 

 to Alloa, from Clyde to Forth and mined to-day chiefly at its extremities and along 

 either flank. It is abruptly truncated in the S.W. by the Sechmont fault and in the 

 N.E. by the Ochil fault. There are at least three subdivisions. 



Firstly the Hamilton or S.W. section with large modern deep pits — situated along 

 the Clyde ' Laughlands ' and on the neighbouring slopes. Secondly the central 

 section extending from Airdrie to Falkirk and from Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch to 

 Bathgate and Shotts. This area is more complex — more interesting structurally and 

 historically. At one time this was the scene of great activity. Much of the field 

 has been ruined by intrusive sills so that large modem pits are only to be found towards 

 Kilsyth and Bathgate. 



The eastern pits in Fife and Midlothian are characterised by their modem equipment 

 and great size. The area is one mainly of coal mining and coal export, manufactures 

 being a secondary consideration. The Lothian field was the only one to show an 

 increase in output between 1913 and 1927. Two dislocations should be noticed with 

 regard to future developments — the SheriShall and Pentland Faults. 



In contrast to the general simplicity of this area the W. Fife or Lochgelly-Cowden- 

 beath field is very complicated — there are large masses of intruded material. Here 

 export was always the chief concern. 



The Douglas and Sanquhar fields are of local significance only. 



Methil, Burntisland, Leith, Grangemouth, Glasgow and Ayr, of course, stand 

 predominant in the coal export trade. We have to note : the general decline in 

 shipments — attempt of the large ports to make up for declining exports by an 

 increased export trade — the growing coal trade of Ayr. 



Maps to show the location of rolling mills, foundries, railway works and oil shale 

 distilleries, &c., would be valuable. There has been time only for one, showing 

 distribution of blast-furnaces, in and oiit of blast early in the year. Location depended 

 on local ore supplies — but imported ores now predominate and necessitated reorganisa- 

 tion. 



In concldsion : much that is of interest in connection with the iron and coal of 

 Scotland is reflected in Population Maps described by me in the spring number of the 

 Scottish Geographical Magazine, 1927. 



Prof. 0. HoLTEDAHL. — Land Forms in some Antarctic and sub-Antarctic 

 Islands. 



Afternoon. 

 Discussion on The Teaching of Geography in Scottish Schools. (See p. 639.) 



Tuesday, September 11. 



Dr. C. B. Fawcett. — Recent Developments in the Regions adjacent to the 

 Tees Estuary. 



Dr. A. Geddes. — Soil and Civilisation in Bengal. 



The great alluvial rice plain of Bengal is well defined by the edges of the jungles 

 of the hills to north, east and west, and those of the tidal marshes to south. (Its unity 

 of speech, the Aryan Bengali, is a sign of considerable unity of culture.) There is, 

 nevertheless, a difference in water supply from E. to W., the effects of the heavier 



