106 Anniversary Address. 



remains of the Holoptychius nohilissimus, Pterichthys major, 

 Sec, clearly shewing the strata to belong to the upper old red 

 sandstone formation. I have still doubts whether the curi- 

 ous specimen which Mr Curie exhibited at that meeting is of 

 organic origin. In rocks of the same age and general aspect 

 at Prestonhaugh, near Dunse, pretty large stems are fre- 

 quently found, which have every appearance of having be- 

 longed to marine plants, except that they shew no visible 

 trace of carbonaceous matter. It is not, I think, improbable 

 that that specimen is of a similar character, the plant having 

 been of a succulent nature, and the carbon having passed off 

 in gaseous combination through the porous sand before the 

 latter was properly consolidated. 



And now, gentlemen, before closing this address I shall 

 briefly refer to one or two subjects which have occupied the 

 attention of the club during the past season. 



And first, I must notice the very able and elaborate me- 

 moir, by Mr Tate^ on the Pre-historic Sculptured Stones of 

 the district. This paper is one which will be read and studied 

 with intense interest by all Avho delight to trace the works of 

 man beyond the historic period, into those remote ages which 

 connect the archaic with the geological epochs. Although 

 the details, the result of so much and long-continued re- 

 search, with which our records are enriched by Mr Tate, 

 appear so far as the district of our operations is concerned, to 

 be all but exhaustive, yet we must all perceive that the sub- 

 ject is anything but exhausted. It is in fact but in its in- 

 fancy. Further discoveries may, and doubtless will be made, 

 not only in Argyleshire and elsewhere, where similar remains 

 have been found, but also in our own district. We want, 

 and may have to wait long for a key, which, like the famous 

 Eosetta stone, will enable us to read and interpret these 

 remarkable inscriptions, engraven so long ago upon the 

 Northumbrian rocks. Whatever may be their import, now 

 so mysterious, they cannot fail to prove, when their meaning 

 is discovered, of very high interest. In the meantime, I 

 would earnestly urge upon all the members of the club to do 



