140 Reports and Proceedings. 



But furthermore, the base of this lastest rock appeared to be thrown down by a 

 fault with a displacement of some thousands of feet. 



The author, though admitting there were two sides to the question as to the 

 origin of granite, could not regard intrusive masses of granite passing through 

 rocks of different mineral constitution as the metamorphosed representatives of 

 ' each He briefly replied to the other points raised in the discussion. 



3. " Eemarks on Fossils from Oberburg, Styria." By A. W. 

 Waters, Esq., F.G.S. 



The author noticed the limited occurrence of Eocene deposits in 

 Styria, and referred briefly to the researches of Prof. Eeuss and 

 Prof. Stur upon them. He then indicated certain species of fossils 

 which he had detected in these beds, adding about nine species to 

 Stur's list. 



Discussion. — The Chairman commented on the sad loss which science had 

 lately sustained in the death of Prof Reuss, from whose labours he had received 

 much assistance, and with whom he had long been on the most kindly relations. 

 He had been disposed to place these beds as among the Upper Eocene or Oligocene 

 beds, but the discovery of Nummulites in them might cause them to be placed on 

 the lower horizon. 



II.— February 4, 1874.— His Grace the Duke of Argyll, E.T., 

 F.E.S., President, in the Chair. The following communications 

 were read : — 



1. "The Physical History of the Valley of the Ehine." By 

 Prof. A. C. Eamsay, LL.D., V.P.E.S., Vice-President. 



The author first described the general physical characters of the 

 valley of the Ehine, and discussed some of the hypotheses which 

 have been put forward to explain them. His own opinion was that 

 during portions of the Miocene epoch the drainage through the 

 great valley between the Schwarzwald and the Vosges ran from the 

 Devonian hills north of Mainz into the area now occupied by the 

 Miocene rocks of Switzerland. Then after the physical disturb- 

 ances which closed the Miocene epoch in these regions the direction 

 of the drainage was reversed, so that after passing through the 

 hill-country between the lake of Constance and Basel, the river 

 flowed along an elevated plain formed of Miocene deposits, the 

 remains of which still exist at the sides of the valley between 

 Basel and Mainz. At the same time the Ehine flowed in a minor 

 valley through the upland country formed of Devonian rocks, which 

 now constitute the Taunus, the Htmdsruck, and the highland lying 

 towards Bonn, and by the ordinary erosive action of the great river 

 the gorge was gradually formed and deepened to its present level. 

 In proportion as the gorge deepened, the marly flat Miocene strata 

 of the area between Mainz and Basel were also in great part worn 

 away, leaving the existing plain, which presents a deceptive ap- 

 pearance of having once been occupied by a great lake. 



Discussion. — Mr. Campbell, in illustration of the paper, and of the effects 

 which running water is capable of producing, brought forward some views in 

 Daghestan and the Caucasus. Very considerable tracts of this country are drained 

 by canons, very narrow, but some hundreds of feet in depth ; the streams which 

 pass along them are principally fed by melting snow. 



Prof. Hughes doubted the view which referred the pi'esent Rhine to any con- 

 figuration of the country due to the original level surface of the Miocene while it 

 ignored the post-Miocene elevation of the Alps and Jura. He had traced the lava 



