﻿36 Reports and Proceedings — 



more or less concealed by Cambrian deposits overlying them un€on- 

 formably. Eunuing nearly parallel with Eamsay Sound is another 

 large mass of the author's Pebidian rocks, and at the south-western 

 extremity of Eamsay Island they compose a bold hill almost 400 

 feet high, and on the east side of this a fault, with a downthrow of 

 at least 14,000 feet, has brought up the Arenig beds into contact with 

 the pre-Cambrian rocks. 



2. "On the Fossil Vertebrates of Spain." By Prof. Salvador 

 Calderon. Communicated by the President. 



This paper contained a few introductory observations on the study 

 of the fossil vertebrates of Spain, followed by a classified list of the 

 species (68 in number) which have been recognized in that country. 

 The author particularly remarked on the occurrence of Sivatherium 

 and Hyanarctos in Spain, on the finding of remains of the Mammoth 

 in that country, and on the presence in the peninsula at a late period 

 of Bos primigenius. The earliest known Spanish vertebrates have 

 been obtained from the Carboniferous formation. 



December 6th, 1876.— Prof. P. Martin Duncan, M.B., F.E.S., 

 President, in the Chair. 



The President announced the sad loss the Society had sustained 

 in the death of Mr. David Forbes, F.E.S., one of its Secretaries, 

 which took place on the morning of Tuesday, December 5th. He 

 thought it would be felt by all joresent that, as a mark of respect to 

 the memory of one so highly esteemed, the proceedings of the Meet- 

 ing should be limited to the absolutely necessary business ; but as 

 one of the authors of a paper on the list had travelled a long dis- 

 tance in order to attend the Meeting, it would hardly be fair to let 

 him go back with the purpose of his journey unaccomplished. He 

 therefore suggested that, in addition to the ordinary formal business 

 of the Meeting, the memoir of MM. Topley and Lebour on the 

 "Whin Sill of Northumberland should be read, and that the Meeting 

 should then adjourn. 



The following communication was read : 



"On the Intrusive Character of the Whin Sill of Northumber- 

 land." By W. Topley, F.G.S., Assoc. Inst. C.E., Geological Survey 

 of England and Wales, and G. A. Lebour, F.G.S., Lecturer on Geolo- 

 gical Surveying at the University of Durham College of Science, 

 Newcastle-on-Tyne. 



The Carboniferous Limestone series of the north of England con- 

 tains a bed (or beds) of basalt, known as the "Whin Sill," regard- 

 ing the nature of which opinion has long been divided. Some 

 writers regard it as truly interbedded and contemporaneous ; others 

 look upon it as intrusive, and as having been forced laterally between 

 the planes of bedding. The latter opinion is that held by the 

 authors, who stated that through South and Mid-Northumberland 

 there can be no doubt as to the intrusive character of the Whin Sill. 

 This conclusion can be established by the line of outcrop of the 

 trap, and also by the evidence of individual sections. 



