Xlii PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 



forwarded to the Society, and they were found by Mr. Moore to pos- 

 sess much interest in regard to the distribution of tertiary fossils over 

 the Central American area. 



Mr. Flokesi was a native of Sardinia, and ranked in his own 

 coimtry amongst the nobility, being Marquis d'Arcaes ; but, as an 

 Italian refugee, he only made use of his family name. For some 

 time he was manager of a portion of the Mexican mines, which were 

 worked under the direction of Mr. John Taylor ; and he was on his 

 way to Central America to report on mines in the Province of Gua- 

 temala, when he was attacked with fever at Panama, and died, to 

 the great regret of his employers, by whom he was considered a most 

 amiable and upright man. His son has since taken charge of some 

 Mexican mines which belong to a different body of proprietors, 



Mr. William Eald was an eminent Civil Engineer and Surveyor. 

 He was born in Burnt Island, Fifeshire, and was educated at the 

 parish school there until he arrived at his twelfth year, when he was 

 removed to a school at Edinburgh. After completing his ordinary 

 education, he was apprenticed to Mr. Ainslie, C.E., of Edinburgh. 

 He commenced his professional career in this line in 1803, and he 

 had much experience in making railways, and in the improvement 

 of rivers and harbours. His abilities, being fully recognized, led to 

 his employment in Ireland, where he was directing engineer in im- 

 proving the navigation of the River Boyne and in forming quays at 

 Drogheda ; and was engaged to carry bills through Parliament for the 

 improvement of the navigation of the River Suir, and of the River 

 Moy, both in that country. It was during the time of his resi- 

 dence in Ireland, that he was employed in 1811, by a Royal Commis- 

 sion appointed to ascertain the situation and extent of the great bogs of 

 Ireland and the practicability of draining and improving them, and to 

 survey and report on the extensive bogs of the county of Mayo. His 

 reports on their situation, extent, and improvement formed part of 

 those valuable public documents, 'The Bog Reports,' which were 

 presented to Parliament, and printed in the years 1811, 1812, 1813. 

 The very interesting information which these Reports contain on 

 the peculiar condition, circumstances, and origin of the large accu- 

 mulations of bog, which are so remarkable in Ireland as to constitute 

 what may be almost considered a distinct geological formation, has 

 caused them to be consulted by every one desirous of studying the 

 history of bogs ; and when the curious phenomena connected with 

 them, such as the occurrence of two or three layers of tree-stumps, the 

 "escars" or long ridges of gravel, the beds of marl, and the numerous 

 relics of the great fossil Deer, theMegaceros Hibernicus, are considered, 

 it cannot be doubted that the authors of these Reports have laid 

 before naturalists, and especially geologists, ample materials for re- 

 flection. This was not the only great Irish work in which Mr. Bald 

 was engaged, as he was employed about the year 1810, by the grand 

 jury of the county of Mayo, to make a territorial survey of that 

 county, which he afterwards completed in a most accurate and satis- 



