D. Milne Home — Glaciation of the Shetlands. 211 



probably come, beyond mentioning that the striae on the rocks 

 pointed N. 5° W.^ (Nature, vol. xvi. p, 414). 



Dr. Hibbert refers also to a transported Boulder on the summit of 

 Hilsioick Ness; — "a sui'prising block of granite removed from a 

 rock, the nearest site of which is about 2 miles north " (Edin. Journ. 

 of Science, vol. iv. p. 89). 



" Again, in ascending Boeness HiU, composed of red granite, 

 I Avas struck with the immense quantity of Boulders of a primary 

 greenstone, which appear to have been removed from a site two 

 or three miles off, and to have been rolled in a southerly or south- 

 westeA-Jy direction up a gradual ascent of three or four miles " (Edin. 

 Journ. of Science, vol. iv. p. 89). 



If Messrs. Peach and Home knew of these cases recorded by 

 Hibbert, which are so discordant to their theory, why have they 

 omitted to take special notice of them ? 



I may mention one other example, given in the Second Eeport 

 of the Edinburgh Eoyal Society Boulder Committee. The Island 

 of Foula is the most westerly of all the Shetlands, being about 

 20 miles from the nearest coast. It is said to be composed of Old 

 Eed Sandstone (Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xv. p. 20). 

 Mr. Eussell, Schoolmaster, sent to the Committee a "Eeturn " stating 

 that there were on the island seven Boulders, some of granite, others 

 of gneiss — two of 2 tons weight each — the others from 3 to 5 cwt. 

 He suggested that the granite blocks came across the sea from 

 Culswick, and the gneiss blocks from Delting, places bearing from 

 Eoula N.E. It is added that from the middle of the island, at 

 a height of 700 feet, granite and gneiss drift occurs as far as the 

 south end of the island. 



These statements by Mr. Eussell are quite at variance with the 

 alleged movement of the Scandinavian Ice-sheet in the Western Sea- 

 board ; and, moreover, at variance with the striations given by the 

 authors of the paper, which they represent as being " in Foula N.W. 

 and W. 30° N.'"' (p. 794). 



Before leaving the subject of erratics, I must be excused for 

 reminding Messrs. Peach and Horne that they have not answered or 

 taken notice of the remark made in my Address, in reference to 

 their repeated notices of Boulders, "perched on the ridges and even on 

 the tops of the highest hills " (pp. 804-7). How is it possible to 

 explain this fact on the supposition of a great mer de glace, which 

 overi'ode the whole islands and " smothered them in ice " ? Surely 

 the effect of such an agency would be to sweep off from ridge and 

 hill-top every particle of rubbish, — smooth the rocks, and leave no 

 Boulders on them. 



(3). The result of this examination of the striae and transported 

 Boulders in Shetland, seems to me to show, that the agency to which 



^ This direction differs from that given by Messrs. Peach and Horne, who state 

 that "in Papa Stonr, the trend is X. or N. 28° W." Messrs. Peach and Horne 

 could not have been aware of, or must have forgotten these remarks by Professor 

 Geikie, when they state that "he carefully avoids expressing any opinion regarding 

 the direction of the glaciation of these islands " (Geol. Mag. for Feb., p. 68]. 



