72 Notices of Memoirs — 



were all formed during the Newer Palaeozoic periods, we are led to 

 the presumption of their probable former connexion with one 

 another. By the phenomena presented at a number of interesting 

 points, such as Beinn Nevis and Glencoe, where the granite rocks 

 and the lavas are so associated with one another and with masses of 

 volcanic agglomerate as to demonstrate the identity of their origin 

 with that of the similar masses of Tertiary age in the Hebrides, this 

 presumption is converted into certainty. The Newer Paleeozoic 

 period of volcanic eruption terminated, like that of the Tertiary 

 epoch, by a grand development of "puys " during the Carboniferous 

 and Permian periods. Of these, the celebrated Arthur's Seat, near 

 Edinburgh, and many similar cases in Fife and the Lothians, may 

 be cited as examples. 



. Conclusion. — It appears that during the Newer Palaeozoic and the 

 Tertiary periods, the north-western parts of the British archipelago 

 were the scene of displays of volcanic activity upon the grandest 

 scale. During either of these, the eruption of felspathic lavas, etc., 

 preceded, as a whole, that of the basaltic ; and in both, the volcanic 

 action was brought to a close by the formation of "puys." The 

 range of Newer-Palaeozoic volcanos arose along a line striking N.E. 

 and S.W. ; that of the Tertiary volcanos along one striking from 

 N. to S. ; and each appears to have been connected with a great 

 system of subterranean disturbance. It is an interesting circum- 

 stance that the epochs of maximum volcanic activity, the Old Eed 

 Sandstone and the Miocene, appear to have been coincident with 

 those which, as shown by Prof. Eamsay, were characterized by the 

 greatest extent of continental land in the area. 



The Secondary strata were deposited in the interval between the 

 two epochs of volcanic activity, and the features which they present 

 have been largely influenced by this circumstance. Apart from this 

 consideration, however, the volcanic rocks of the Highlands are of 

 the highest interest to the geologist, both from their enabling him 

 to decipher to so great an extent the " geological records " of the 

 district, and from the light which they throw upon some of the 

 obscurest problems of Physical Geology. 



II. — Brief Abstracts for 1873. 

 The following Abstracts are intended to serve as the commence- 

 ment of a "Record of Geological and Pal seen tological Literature 

 for 1873," to embrace abstracts of all papers published abroad or 

 in the provinces.^ 



Anon. Geological List. 1873. 2nd Bep. Winchester Coll Nat. Hist. 

 Soc, pp. 80-82. 

 A list of the principal sections in the neighbourhood of Winchester, 



' The work will be carried on under the direction of a Committee appointed by 

 the British Association, which at present consists of Mr. Henry Woodward, Prof. 

 Williamson, Mr. F. W. Eudler, Mr. L. C. Miall, Mr. W. Topley, Mr. W. Whitaker, 

 Mr. G. A. Lebour, Mr. W. Carruthers, and Mr. Horace B. Woodward. The co- 

 operation of geologists is earnestly desired. Copies of papers and Transactions of 

 Local Societies will be gladly received by the Secretary to the Committee, Henry 

 Woodward, Edit. Geol. Mag. 



