408 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



The ripple-marks left by nndulating waters 

 On limestones in Lake Killarney, and other quarters, 

 May still be seen in progress. 



Yours faithfully, A Subsceiber. 



Wh August, 1862. 



[If our correspondent is not pleased with his communication being set up by our com- 

 positor as a poetical effusion, he has no one to blame but himself; for, not sending us, 

 in confidence, his name and address, we could neither send him a proof nor ask his 

 instructions. We are continually annoyed by this reprehensible conduct and many 

 things worth printing are often, for this reason, consigued to our waste-paper basket. 

 The post-mark on this communication is Ryde, but we should only give the Dead Letter 

 officers trouble if we posted a letter "To Subscriber" there. It would be a worse ad- 

 dress than the memorable John Smith, England."— Ed. Geol.] 



Tlie KirMale Cavern. 



giR^ — In the September number of ' Macmillan's Magazine ' there is an 

 article by Mr. John Taylor, concerning this place, upon which, as I take 

 it to be a very important one (thus greatly differing from the majority of 

 geological papers, which are combinations of the most obvious facts and the 

 most unohvious speculations), I am desirous of making a few observations. 

 That it presents an agreeable contrast to the views of some of "our best 

 authorities " in geology, no candid person can but admit ; but, at the same 

 time, I look upon it as perhaps the commencement of new inquiries, which 

 probably will effect the demolition of similar irrational and far-fetched ex- 

 planations. 



That any individual could consider the one in question, and yet main- 

 tain the doctrine of Buckland, could, I think, only be accounted for on the 

 ground of faith in this distinguished geologist, — the facts alluded to by 

 Mr. Taylor being absolutely crucial as regards the conclusion drawn from 

 them. We have here an example of an apparently geological phenomenon 

 which is really an historical one, and of the utility which the knowledge 

 of ancient customs is in the explanation of physical phenomena. In the 

 present case, without this knowledge the explanation would have been only 

 a speculation ; but as the explanatory circumstance is known to have been 

 a fact, and it is not possible otherwise to account for the phenomenon, there 

 is as much certainty as can be obtained concerning any ww^ee-;? phenomena. 

 In this sense the conclusion is warranted, or crucial, from the facts brought 

 forward. I have here, of course, presumed that the alleged facts are such, 

 concerning which, as far as I can understand, no discussion can be raised. 



J. Alexandee Davies. 



[We are sorry to read the opinion formed by our correspondent of the antiquated, 

 absurd, and ignorant article in ' Macmillan's Magazine.' Want of space prevents com- 

 ments on our part upon it in the present number, but we shall refer to the subject again. 

 Two excellent articles in the ' London Review' may, in the interim, be perused with ad- 

 vantage by Mr. Davies and those who concur in his appreciation of Mr. Taylor's un- 

 tenable article.] 



GEOLOGICAL NOTES IN THE GEEAT EXHIBITION. 



Italy.— The Natural History Museum of the Eoyal University of Pisa 

 exhibits the following plaster and wax models of fossils -.—Jrasiodon Aver- 

 ncnsis (jaws and separate teeth) ; Iilephas incridinna.Jis (jaws, part of 

 U])per jaw, teeth) ; Ili-ppopoiamus major (part of jaw, teeth); Ehinoceros 

 Etrmcus (skull, part of jaw, part of upper jaw) ; Lutra Canqmni (almost 



