324 Dr. C. Callaway—The Archean Controversy. 
IrneLanp.—Not much has yet been done amongst the Archzans of 
Ireland. Leinster has been slightly studied by Prof. Sollas and 
Prof. Blake, as well as by myself. 1 have held that there is reason- 
able evidence of two formations, corresponding to the Gneissic and 
Slaty groups of Anglesey. Prof. Sollas* appears disposed to agree 
with me in reference to the Gneissic series; but the newer group at 
Howth and near Wexford he would associate with the Bray Head 
rocks. Prof. Blake,’ however, who has given considerable attention 
to Anglesey, regards the Howth group as the equivalent of his 
“South Stack series,” and therefore as Archean. Prof. Blake 
separates—I think rightly—the Howth series from the rocks of 
Bray Head, and he places the latter in a newer group, very high up 
in the Archean. 
The metamorphic rocks of Galway and Connemara are probably 
Archean. No theory of metamorphism can affect the question of 
their age. The solution of some difficult problems will probably be 
found in this remarkable area. 
There are indications of the existence of Archean rocks in 
Donegal, but the region will require much hard work. The granitoid 
asses supposed by some to be “ Laurentian” prove to be intrusive 
granites locally modified by pressure into a gneiss. 
Tur Lizarp anv Soura Drevon.—The banded gneisses and other 
schists of the Lizard have been studied by Mr. J. H. Collins, Prof. 
Bonney, and Mr. Teall. By Prof. Bonney,*® the parallel structure 
was regarded 1 in 1883 as evidence of an original sedimentation ; but 
Mr. Teall‘ in 1887 contended that the banded gneisses were igneous 
complexes which had undergone deformation under earth-pressures. 
Prof. Bonney refers the Lizard schists to the Archean period, a view 
which may not be materially affected by theories of origin. The 
same author describes® the micaceous and chloritic schists of the 
South Devon coast, and considers them a prolongation of the Lizard 
rocks. Miss C. A. Raisin® adds further descriptions of the Devon 
district. 
Tur Cuannen Istanps.—The Rev. E. Hill has given considerable 
attention to the crystalline rocks of this group of islands. He 
describes,’ inter alia, hornblendic schists and felspathic gneisses, and 
assigns them to the Archean, contending that their great dissimilarity 
from the Cambrian and later strata of the adjacent parts of Brittany 
renders their Palseozoic age highly improbable. This evidence is 
not likely to be affected by questions of origin. 
The length of this bare sketch, in which only the principal con- 
tributions are mentioned, will give some idea of the activity of the 
workers in the Archean field. Errors have no doubt been made; 
but, having regard to the extreme obscurity of some of the evidence 
1 Brit. Assoc. Report, 1887, p. 708. 
2 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. 1888, p. 542. 
3 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. Feb. 1883, p. 1. 
4 Brit. Assoc. Report, p. 707; and Grox. Mac. Noy. p. 484. 
5 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. Feb. 1884, p. 1. 
6 Ibid. Nov. 1887, p. 716. 7 Ibid, Aug. 1887, p. 322. 
