286 Reports and Proceedings. 
of the Laurentian Gneiss of Canada. The oldest rock known in the 
British Islands is the Gneiss of Sutherland, and this is the equivalent 
of the Laurentian Gneiss of Canada. It follows, therefore, that the 
period of life commenced previous to the metamorphism of the whole 
of the Highland schists. The Chairman urged a renewed search for 
fossils in all the limestones connected with the schists of the West 
Highlands, and felt assured that, if found, they would prove to be 
Silurian. —J. F. 
Harirax Literary AND PxiLosopnicaL Socrety.—The annual 
report was presented on the 38lst October. In the Geological 
department considerable interest continues to be taken by the mem- 
bers. The Museum of the Society contains an excellent and well 
arranged geological collection. That portion of it which illus- 
trates the geology of the district is (as all local collections should 
be) especially rich and valuable, and is rapidly increasing in extent, 
owing to the interest which is taken by the members in the cultiva- 
tion of this branch of scientific enquiry. During the past year 
several sections have been cut of the fossil found in the neighbour- 
hood, hitherto named Goniatites Inglisi, but which is now proved 
to be a Nautilus.—J. W. W. 
Liverroot GroLtocicaL Socrety.— The last meeting of this 
Society was hold on the 8th of November, the President, Henry 
Duckworth, F.G.S., F.L.S., in the chair. After some preliminary 
business, the President, elected at the previous meeting, delivered 
his opening address. He reviewed the progress of the Society 
during the last session, and referred at length to several valuable 
communications that had been printed in the Report of the So- 
ciety’s proceedings. In a general review of the state of geological 
science, he referred to the origin of granite, and more particularly 
to the breaks in the series of stratified rocks, both of which are 
subjects of great interest at the present time. 
The paper of the evening was then read by Mr. G. S. Worthy, 
‘On the Section along the course of the Avon at Clifton,’ illustrated 
by diagrams, and a numerous series of specimens of rocks and fossils, 
lucidly explained by the author, who resided several years at 
Bristo.—G. H. M. 
GroLocicaL Society or Lonpon.—The following communications 
were read on November 9th :—1. ‘ Notes on the Geology of Jamaica; 
with Descriptions of new Species of Cretaceous, Eocene, and Mio- 
cene Corals. By P. Martin Duncan, M.B., Sec.G.S., and G. P. 
Wall, Esq., F.G.S. The authors first referred to the Miocene age 
of the Corals that have hitherto been described from the West 
Indies, and then stated that in this paper conclusive evidence was 
brought forward, for the first time, of the existence of an Eocene 
formation in Jamaica. They next noticed successively the litho- 
logical characters of the different members of the Jamaican fossili- 
ferous rocks, and then described two new species of Corals from the 
Lower Cretaceous beds, and six from the Miocene, besides giving 
notices of additional known forms from all the strata; and the con- 
clusion was drawn, that the facies of these Cretaceous Corals was 
