NOTES AND QUERIES. 



255 



lands and lofty mountains, is Y^ifturcsqucly situated at the head of the Murray 

 Firth, on the hanks of the river Ness, which there, in eonj unction with the river 

 Beauly, runs into the Firth. The waters of Loch Ness, from which the river 

 takes its rise, are remarkable for never having been frozen in the most severe 

 winters : the reason assigned being the largeness of the body of water in that 

 lake, having an extent of twenty-four miles in length, a mile and vipwards in 

 v/idth, and in many parts being more than eighty fathoms deep. The great depth is, 

 without doubt, the sole cause ; as there is nothing peculiar in the water itself, 

 which, it is v^x'U known, when taken from the river, congeals as soon as any other 

 water. About two miles from the mouth of the river, in an estuary of the sea, 

 and part of the Murray Firth, a large boulder-stone, of three or four tons weight, 

 was imbedded in the sand of a clear beach, extending from the shore, at low 

 vv^ater, for nearly a quarter of a mile. This boulder-stone v/as considered the 

 " March -stone," or western boundary of the property of Culloden, and was within 

 two nnles of the field of the memorable battle of Prince Charles. In the spring 

 of 1817, a severe frost occurred, v/hich lasted some days ; and on that occasion 

 this estuary was covered with ice, v/hich, during the several tides, attained suf- 

 ficient thickness to fairly raise the Culloden " March-stone" from its bed i a the 

 sand ; when, a sudden thaw setting in, ^^'ith a strong south-easterly wind, the stone 

 was floated, at high tide, from its resting-place, and carried upwards of two 

 hundred yards, leaving, in its progress seawards, a deep marking in the sand, to- 

 wards the north-west This event took place in the morning, and a very large 

 concourse of the inhabitants of Invemess went to see the stone in its new ])Osition, 

 and to observe the original site, and the track of the stone's passage over the sand 

 made diiring its transit. An event of this sort, in former times, would ])robably 

 have been attributed to the nocturnal labours of the fairies. It apjjears to me to 

 be a fact quite worthy of being recorded as a geological phenomenon. — JonN 

 Jamesox, Arlington Square." 



Geology of AsiiBT-DE-XA-Zorcir. — "Could you kindly inform me, through 

 the medium of your excellent magazine, the Geologist, if I can find any fossils 

 near Ashby-de-la-Zouch. If there are any what are the characteristic species ? 

 and where should I l>e likely to find them ? — M. S." — Ashby-de-la-Zouch, we need 

 scarcely say, is on the coal-measures. On this district, in 183 1, Mr. Edward 

 Mammatt wrote his interesting book, entitled " Collection of Geological Facts and 

 Practical Observations on the Ashl)y Coal-field, in the Parish of Ashby-de-la-Zouch 

 and the Neighbouring District," 4to. This book is illustrated by a map, sections, 

 and by numerous plates of the fossil remains of plants found in the coal-shales of 

 the neighbourhood. Shells should also be searched for in the:se shales, and minute 

 entromostraca, such aa Cyprides, &c., are to be found. The MiUstone-grit, coming 

 out beneath the coal to the north-east of Ashby, may also be examined for fossil 

 plants. The red sandstones and marls surrounding this coal-field appear to be 

 unfossiliferous. Tlie Syenites protruding through the schists of Mount Sorrel 

 afford many interesting geological lessons, as m.ay be found in Mr. Jukes' " Geology- 

 of Charnwood Forest," printed in the appendix of Potter's " History and An- 

 tiquities of Charnwood Forest," 4to., 1842. At the end of the second volume of 

 Mantell's "Medals of Creation," a sketch is given of a geological trip to this part 

 of Lei(;estersliire. The geological features of the Charnwood district are laid down 

 in sheet No. 63 of the National Geological Survey map. 



Geology or IIuddeeseit-lt). — " Stt;, — Will you have the kindness to tell nio the 

 nearest localities to this ],]:u-(' i'ov 11. • ' ■■ •! S's.nd.stonff, arid Old 



Ked Conglomerate ; Gli.u-i;i! <>r .\',vr- uu- to he iouad 



in it — e./?., in the plaof; rr-f'- : ' : :, i . . 1 -Loiilrl ui-:o 



be very gladof adcscrip^io,, : /-riii-^jv, |, 1;, i.r^., 



what is the thickness (A ;■) <■ - . . .. , . „• i lU- < -.w ■:.<,>■ ■■ '.rvilvbi^uminous,? 

 &c.— Yours A:c.,S.n.,nn<i<in--i,' ' 1 —• . '< i]' ^ .-rs 



near Pridgnorth, (m Ih. S, ^ r i ■ ' ' < it 



limestoneof y(rk.,hire, in J;m)1( ilAc V''i'< ,m , i i ■ p i , i / ' 1 -'nt to 

 any good section near Hiidder.-.field of the \i;n:<l r-urllt, v/iiioii o,<Vovmv i.]jc>.orth 



