338 NOTE—GEOLOGY. 
greater concentration of the cell sap owing to a deficient supply of 
water from without. When a solution of certain kinds of tannin, 
which is the source of the red and brown autumnal pigments, 
undergoes concentration in the presence of dehydrating acids, bases, 
or crystallisable salts, there are produced various anhydrides, of 
sO e 
former constitute the colouring matter of the red, the latter that of 
the brown and russet autumn leaves. Hence, then, it may be readily 
understood how it comes to pass in the case of leaves which are 
naturally or artificially bereft of water, whose cell-sap in consequence 
readily concentrates in the living condition, that a colouring matter 
is produced, which only awaits and requires the destruction and 
fading of the protoplasm and its accompanying green chlorophyll in 
order to manifest its presence in the crimson liv ery of the autumn 
woods. It would appear also, as is the case with the more succulent 
or fleshy leaves as of the alder, ash, willow, elm, etc., where the 
tannin solution in the cell-sap does not concentrate, the phlobaphene, 
which has been accumulating on the cell wall perhaps for months 
beforehand, appears in the fall as a dingy brown or russet ; or where 
little or none of this phlobaphene has been thus produced, then the 
carotin or the ammoniated rutin or alnein of the leaf serves to 
impart a brilliant yellow, such as charms us in the birch, elm, or 
sycamore. : 
3rd September, 1897. 
NOTE—GEOLOGY. 
Glacial Boulders at West — Morecambe.—While sojourning at the 
West End, Mor ss aa a few days ago, I witnessed a number o f fine nen 
om 3 pies 
excavations no’ ing on for buildi urpose ny he boulders 
r ed ten to twelve feet in cir mference, were t ss, and <a 
in all directions. They co —— ‘pg pally of carboniferous limestones, wit 
e ritic greenstones ag He ie Keaeick area. Large blocks of local ei 
stone were also present, the redn baie of the till here, as indeed throughout Low 
urness, being due to the underlying red sandstone, which may be seen in situ * 
Heysham, Silverdale, Humphrey Head, and other parts of Morecambe 
Tam in that no boulders of sha ite have hitherto been observ - 
west as Morecam s this correct? I ver, t ed 
a small boulder of this rock, about two feet square, on the beach by the sea-broken 
promerade near the Batt inking it me interest, I called the 
attention te) xter, Vice-Chairman of the 
to its presence, and to whom this portion of the beach belongs, and he kindly 
undertook to see to its removal to Winter Gardens for preserva ation. The 
stream of shap boulders is, as is well known, continued to the Vale oe York, — 
even as far south as Leicestershire, but I am not aware that the r 
observed as far west as the Heysham site of Morecambe Ba ay.— ‘ae SPEIG OAT, 
Bingley, October 2nd, 1897. 
