REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 41 



Appendix I. — Canty Bay and The Bass. 



With Special Reference to the Eruptive Rock of that Part. By 

 J. G. Goodchild of the Geological Survey, F.G.S., F.Z.S., 

 Custodian of the Scottish Minerals i^i, the Edinburgh Museum 

 of Science and Art. 



The rocks around Canty Bay and The Bass are mostly of 

 eruptive origin, and are of Lower Carboniferous age. Those at 

 the landing-place on the west side of the Bay, opposite the old 

 inn, are sandstones, which are of the same age as the Oil Shales 

 of the Lothians and the Scremerston Coals of the valley of 

 the Tweed. The rocks on the east side of the Bay, which 

 form the other landing-place, are mainly of volcanic origin. 



The Bass itself, as well as North Berwick Law, Traprain 

 Law, and some other eminences near, must also be classed as 

 volcanic ; but these belong to a different class from those just 

 referred to, and are usually described as "necks," i.e. masses 

 of stone, once in a fluid state, which have filled up, and have 

 consolidated in, the vents or chimneys of ancient volcanoes. 



It is not a very easy matter to convey to the minds of 

 those who have not devoted much thought to geology what 

 is the meaning and history of the rocks briefly alluded to 

 in the foregoing sentences. It may be well, therefore, to 

 give a brief outline of their history, and to take occasion, 

 in doing so, to glance at some of the questions of " theoretical " 

 interest which arise while the facts are under consideration. 

 This plan of treatment will make the relationship of the rocks 

 to each other much more easy of comprehension than a purely 

 technical description, however carefully worded. 



Very far back in the past, and long before the first appear- 

 ance of any geographical features now existing as such upon 

 the Earth, a great continental area lay to the north-west of 

 what are now the British Isles. The present site of our 

 land was then occupied by open sea, with a few small islands 

 here and there. The depth of water increased toward the 

 south ; and there appears to have been open sea in that 

 direction far beyond the precincts of our present land. The 

 climate was mild and equable, with a moderate, but frequent, 

 rainfall, and while there is no reason for supposing that the 

 summers were any hotter than we usually have here now, 



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