Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 159 
mountain which rises to the height of 2863 feet above the level of the sea, 
and which lies on the junction of two formations—the clay slate and mica 
slate—being a true mica slate on the northwest, and a clay slate, or rather 
grey wacke, on the south-east declivity. After leaving Callander the party 
crossed the river in the Pass of Leny, and proceeded towards Loch Lub- 
naig. On the way they gathered Corydalis claviculata, Hypericum 
humifusum, Galium Mollugo, G. boreale, Lysimachia Nummularia, 
Carex irrigua, which was observed by Mr A. Bell, as well as Vaccinium 
Oxycoccus. In Loch Lubnaig, Isoetes lacustris, Lobelia Dortmanna, 
Subularia aquatica, were gathered. Lysimachia vulgaris was also met 
with. From Loch Lubnaig the party ascended Ben Ledi: they pro- 
ceeded by the side of a stream which has cut out a deep passage for itself, 
and they examined especially the rocks near the summit on the northern 
side. The best plants were found on the mica slate soil. Among the in- 
teresting plants gathered were the following:—Thalictrum alpinum, 
Draba incana, Silene acaulis, Alchemilla alpina, Rubus sawatilis, R. 
Chamemorus, Sibbaldia procumbens, Epilobium alpinum, Sedum angli- 
cum, Saxifraga aizoides, S. hypnoides, S. nivalis, S., oppositefolra, S. 
stellaris, Meum athamanticum, Cornus suecica, Antennaria dioica, 
Mieracium alpinum, Saussurea alpina, Vaccinium uliginosum, V. Vitis- 
idea, Armeria maritima, Oxyria reniformis, Polygonum viviparum, 
Salix herbacea, Gymnadenia albida, Habenaria chlorantha, Listera 
cordata, Tofieldia palustris, Juncus supinus, J. triglwmis, J. trifidus, 
Rhynchospora alba, Carex rigida, Poa montana, Botrychium Lunaria, 
Allosorus crispus, Asplenium viride, Hymenophyllum Wilsont. 
4. Letter from Dr Kirk of the Zambest Expedition, dated 2d December 
1860. Communicated by Professor Batrour. 
SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
GEOLOGY. 
1. On the Geology of the Country between Lake Superior and the 
Pacific Ocean (between 48° and 55° parallels of latitude), explored 
by the Government Exploring Expedition under the command of 
Captain J. Palliser (1857-60). By James Hector, M.D. Communi- 
eated by Sir R. I. Munrcuison, V.P.G.S.—This paper gave the geo- 
logical results of three years’ exploration of the British Territories 
in North America along the frontier line of the United States, and 
westward from Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean. It began by 
showing that the central portion of North America is a great triangular 
plateau, bounded by the Rocky Mountains, Alleghanies, and Lauren- 
tian axis, stretching from Canada to the Arctic Ocean, and divided into 
two slopes by a watershed that nearly follows the political boundary- 
line, and throws the drainage to the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean. 
The northern part of this plateau has a slope, from the Rocky Mountains 
to the eastern or Laurentian axis, of six feet in the mile, but is broken 
by steppes, which exhibit lines of ancient denudation at three different 
levels ; the lowest is of freshwater origin; the next belongs to the Drift- 
deposits, and the highest is the great Prairie-level of undenuded Creta- 
ceuus strata. This plateau has once been complete to the eastern axis, 
but is now incomplete along its eastern edge, the soft strata having been 
removed in the region of Lake Winipeg. The eastern axis sends off a 
spur that encircles the west shore of Lake Superior, and is composed of 
