&S REPORT OF THE MEETINGS EOR 1896 



Abbeys proves, it was admirable stone ; but now it is disused, 

 for it is cheaper to bring New Eed Sandstone from Cumberland 

 or Dumfriesshire. 



The village of Redpath probably derives its name from the 

 red colour of the earth eroded from the subjacent Old Red 

 rocks. The excursion was entirely through Upper Old Eed 

 teri'itory, which is here dotted with the vestiges of ancient 

 volcanic outbursts indicated by the felstone (intrusive) of 

 Bemersyde Hill, and the basalt (intrusive) of the Wallace 

 Statue rock, and the quarries to the west of Clinthill. At the 

 Holmes, opposite Dryburgh Abbey, is a mass of volcanic 

 agglomerate (intrusive) occurring as a neck (or volcanic orifice) 

 of calciferous sandstone age. A similar but much more ex- 

 tensive deposit of volcanic agglomerate is found on the north 

 western flank of the Eildon Hills, the summits of which, 

 however, consist of felstone. This volcanic agglomerate is, 

 though hard, used faute de mieux in Melrose as building stone. 



At Dryburgh and Mertoun we find interesting fluviatile 

 phenomena in a succession of river terraces. In keeping with 

 nearly all rivers, the Tweed is fringed on both banks with a 

 succession of terraces. At Gattonside I found, by aneroid, 

 that there are three terraces, respectively 20, 50, and 175 feet 

 above the normal level of the river. At Dryburgh and 

 Mertoun four terraces have been observed, the highest being 

 oldest, and the river having gradually eroded its bed from the 

 highest to the lowest, which at present forms the river holm or 

 haugh. The upper margin of the oldest terrace in this locality 

 has been traced by the Geological Survey from opposite 

 Dryburgh Abbey inland to St. Boswells (Lessudden) and 

 Maxton, afterwards passing eastwards to the Tweed, near 

 Rutherford railway station. I found the height of this terrace, 

 by aneroid, to be, at the Brae Heads of St. Boswells opposite 

 Dryburgh Abbey, 120 feet above the present normal level 

 of the Tweed. 



Various theories have been advanced to account for the 

 River-terracing, which has occurred all over the globe, but the 

 subject is still a disputable one, so far as the periods and 

 present method of Terracing are concerned. All that, I think, 

 we can yet conclude, is that River-terracing is not due (as some 

 authors have alleged) either to the action of the sea or of ice, 

 but to that of the river itself. I have treated the subject pretty 



