Geological Society of Edinburgh, 241 



Devonian and other strata, which suggested catastrophes allied to 

 the above incident. 



4. "On Volcanoes in the New Hebrides and Banks Islands." By 

 K. Atkins, Esq., of the Southern Cross." Communicated by J. 

 Codrington, Esq., F.G.S. 



The author described the islands of Tanna, Lopevi, and Ambrym, 

 in the New Hebrides, and Santa Maria and Great Banks Islands, 

 among the Banks Island group, as being now active volcanoes, and 

 gave an account of a visit to the Hot Springs of Great Banks Island. 

 These springs deposit quantities of almost pure sulphur. 



Edinburgh Geological Society, 2nd April, 1868. — In the 

 absence of Mr. Powrie, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society, 

 Dr. Page read a paper prepared by that gentleman, "■ On the Working 

 together of Volcanic and Denuding Agencies in the Formation of the 

 Scenery of Scotland," which was in opposition to the theory pro- 

 pounded and advocated by Mr. A. Geikie, in his recent publication 

 on the Scenery of Scotland, as also the theory recently advocated by 

 the Duke of Argyll. It will be remembered that Mr. Geikie gives 

 primary prominence to denudation, while the Duke of Argyll gives 

 primary prominence to volcanic agencies alone, and catyclismal 

 revolutions. Mr. Powrie exhibited a very elaborate section em- 

 bracing the district from the Grampians over Strathmore, the Sid- 

 laws to the Ochils, and particularly detailing the valley of the Tay. 

 He clearly showed that a subsidence must have taken place in the 

 valley of the Tay from the fact of two lines of faults, one on either 

 side of the valley, with the upper Old Eed Sandstone in the valley 

 lying unconformably to the Old Eed ; whereas Mr. Geikie's theory 

 maintains that a hill formerly occupied the present valley of the 

 Tay, while Mr. Powrie advocates not only denuding agencies, but 

 also a subsidence of the valley, and that it is to volcanic agencies 

 the direction of the denuding currents are mainly due. Mr. Powrie, 

 from his great local knowledge of the district of the Tay and the 

 Forfarshire Old Eed Sandstone, was enabled to give minute details 

 of the various positions which thay occupy, as well as the numerous 

 outbursts of trap injected through them. He further stated, in 

 opposition to Mr. Geikie, that the valley of the Tay and the Carse 

 of Gowrie must have been all occupied by the upper Old Eed 

 Sandstone to the top of the Ochils, or that the upper Old Eed now 

 occupying the valley of the Tay at a considerably lower level than 

 where it crops out in the neighbouring districts, clearly shows a 

 " downthrow" in the valley of the Tay. Mr. Powrie also exhibited 

 upon his section the line of the hypothetical hill supposed to have 

 been washed away or denuded from the valley of the Tay. — Dundee 

 Advertiser. 



Geological Society of Glasgow, March 5th, 1868. — "Miscel- 

 laneous Notes on Chemical Geology." By J. Wallace Young. 



1st. On the Analysis of Foliated Chlorite from St. Catherine's 

 Loch, Fyne. Colour, blackish green; lustre, pearly; consists of 



