Anniversary Address. 249 



the top of Cockburnlaw, when an explanation was given by 

 Mr. Stevenson of Dunse and myself of the geological forma- 

 tions which were in view from this elevated spot. I may 

 here give the following outline of what can be seen. 1st. 

 Cockburnlaw itself, in its highest portion consists of silurian 

 or greywacke strata^ considerably altered by heat. 2nd. The 

 lower part of the hill, at least on its east side, and the adjoin- 

 ing hill of Stansheil consists of sienitic porphyry of a reddish 

 colour. 3rd. The strata along the river Whiteadder at 

 Cockburn Mill consist of old red sandstone, containing scales 

 of the Hyloptychius Nohilissimus ; — a fish which generally 

 characterizes that formation. A little above Cockburn Mill, 

 a very distinct junction of the two formations is seen, — the 

 red horizontal strata lying over the upturned edges of the 

 greywacke. 4th. Above these old red strata, lie what our 

 Secretary has not improperly called the Tuedian formation, 

 consisting of a series of blue marls and sandstones, which 

 abound in Berwickshire, and dip under the Berwick coalfield. 

 5th. The low hills on the south, towards Dunse, consist of 

 greenstone and basalt. 6th. The district especially to the 

 south is overspread largely with boulders, gravel, and sand, 

 — ^both boulders and gravel indicating, by the character of 

 the rocks, that they have come from the westward. 



Perhaps I may here mention, that at the late meeting of 

 the British Association at Manchester, I gave an account 

 of those remarkable deposits of gravel and sand, known 

 in Berwickshire under the name of " The Kaims," some of 

 which can be distinguished from the top of Cockburnlaw. 

 The best instances which I know of these kaims, are in the 

 woods behind Dunse Castle, and on the moors north of 

 Greenlaw. The account which I read at Manchester drew 

 forth into discussion several experienced Irish geologists, who 

 gave instances of similar ridges or embankments of gravel 

 and sand, running continuously 15 miles or more across flat 

 parts of Ireland. The unanimous opinion of those who joined 

 in the discussion was, that all these deposits were formed be- 

 fore the land emerged from the sea. The theory which I had 



