Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. 475 



poverty of our archives in this respect. Mr. Henwood's Survey of 

 the Mines has probably brought together a larger collection of copies 

 of mining plans than had ever before been obtained ; but unless simi- 

 lar labour be still devoted to their accumulation, it is vain to hope 

 for them, unless at an expense which would perhaps but seldom 

 be repaid by their value to any but practical miners. 



The rock formations of Cornwall had, until recently, been thought 

 among the most ancient; but the late researches of Messrs. Sedg- 

 wick and Murchison induce them to place our " killas " at an epoch 

 not anterior to the old red sandstone, on zoological evidence of much 

 force ; whilst to the granite and its congeners they ascribe a still 

 more recent date. From the labours of these eminent philosophers, 

 associated with the visit of Prof. Phillips (under the direction of 

 the Government), and, in some humble degree, aided by the efforts 

 of our own members, we hope this obscure portion of geological 

 investigation will receive an elucidation equally luminous with that 

 which Mr. Murchison's herculean labours have shed on the closely- 

 allied rocks of the " Silurian " region. 



The rapidly- accumulating collections of the Society are even now 

 more than sufficient to fill every species of accommodation the pre- 

 sent museum affords ; and it will be imperative on your new offi- 

 cers and Council to devise a method for rendering them more gene- 

 rally available and useful than their present circumscribed premises 

 will permit. 



It has been suggested, that with so much geological wealth as 

 the Society possesses, the benefits it confers are but limited ; and 

 with a view to repeating an experiment which was unsuccessfully 

 made by the late zealous and excellent Secretary (Dr. Boase), a few 

 lectures will from time to time be given by one of the officers du- 

 ring the ensuing winter ; their periods will, however, be determined 

 by engagements in which the Society has no part. 



It had been confidently anticipated that the Fifth Volume of the 

 Society's Transactions would, ere now, have been in the hands of 

 the members : considerable progress has been made in it during the 

 present year, but its completion has been delayed by professional 

 engagements of the editor ; the Council, however, believe that it 

 will be published at an early period of the ensuing season. 



By order, 



W. J. Henwood, 

 October 9th, 1840. Secretary and Curator. 



The following papers have been read since the last Report : — 



I. On some singular Metalliferous Deposits in the Mining district 

 near St. Ives, called by the miners " Carbona." By Joseph Came, 

 Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S., M.R.I.A., &c, &c, Treasurer of the Society. 



II. Remarks on the Land-slip between Axmouth and Lyme Re- 

 gis. By the Rev. Canon Rogers, A.M., Member of the Society. 



III. Notes on the Geology of the Counties of Gloucester and 

 Restigouche, in New Bruuswick, and the Canadian bank of the river 

 Restigouche. By W. J. Henwood, C.E., F.R.S., F.G.SS. London 



^M3 



