XXXI 



Cornwall in that respect, but bearing to some extent the same 

 vegetation. He looked carefully, but could find no circular basins, 

 for which our Tors are so famous ; but from the tone of a letter 

 which he received from the Secretary of the " Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution," it would seem they are occasionally met with on the 

 western continent. 



Mr. Eemfry exhibited and explained a large collection of 

 photographic views of remarkable places which he had visited 

 during a recent tour through Spain, up the Nile, and through 

 Palestine and Syria. He also made some observations concerning 

 his presents to the Museum, recorded in the above list. 



Proofs of Glacial Action in Cornwall. Mr. Whitley, 

 presenting a Paper on this subject, directed attention to some 

 illustrative diagrams, and expressed his opinion that probably 

 Cornwall was, during many ages, covered with a mantle of ice, as 

 Greenland is at the present time, and that that glacial covering 

 was perhaps some two to three thousand feet thick ; the indica- 

 tions of glacial action referred to, and represented in his diagrams, 

 being caused by the movement of super-incumbent masses of 

 angular rocks down the hill-slopes, and now resting on newer 

 strata below. 



Mr. Peach, from Scotland, professed to be conversant with 

 the effects of ice action in North Britain ; and he was satisfied 

 that the scattered blocks in the Meneage district afforded proof 

 that glacial action had been as prevalent in Cornwall as in Scot- 

 land. Although he had not found any strice on rocks in the 

 Meneage district, yet he was satisfied that the scattered blocks of 

 which he spoke had been deposited from the ice which formerly 

 mantled the whole district. At Gorran he had found slight 

 marks of glacial action in rocks both grooved and polished on 

 their surfaces ; as were met with in Scotland. But this most 

 reliable proof of glacial action might be less readily found in 

 Cornwall, from the fact that the surfaces of Cornish granite were 

 often defaced by decomposition of its felspar. If, however, the 

 surfaces of granite in this county were carefully observed when 

 quarries were first opened, and the granite first denuded of the 

 incumbent soil, he had no doubt that strm would be found such 

 as were met with in Scotland. That the blocks shown in Mr. 

 Whitley's diagram were not rounded, might be clue to the circum- 

 stance that, apparently, they had been transported but a very short 

 distance, — seemingly not half a mile ; while in Scotland there was 

 evidence of blocks having been transported some 40 or 50 miles. 



Cornish Fossils. Mr. Peach stated that having recently 



