254 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
Geologist the account of the discovery of mercury in the soil at Montpellier and 
Lyons, a somewhat similar discovery has come under my notice. AVHiilst the 
workmen were eHecting"some alterations, a few years ago, at the Friends' Meeting 
House, in Bristol, which was formerly a monastery, a considerable quantity of 
mercury was found in the old sewers of the building ; a lump of this metal, weigh- 
ing about a pound, is now in the possession of a friend of mine. Yours, &c., 
Fbank UyilOND, 2 Victoria Villas, ^^'^eston-super-Mare." 
Private Collections. — " Deae Sie, — It seems to me that if private 
individuals, wlio have geological collections, would make this known in your 
journal, stating where they reside, and expressing their willingness to show the 
contents of their cabinets to any geologists who might happen to be in their 
respective neighbourhoods, tliey would be couferruig a beneKt upon the scientific 
public, and especially upon beginners. Many excellent private museums, large 
and small, are, from such want of publicity, sciu'cely known and rarely visited, 
and so far they are virtually lost for scientitlc purposes. Feeling this so much in 
my own case, I take this opportunity of saying that I shall be, at all times, happy 
to show my extensive general collection to any lirother geologist, and to give him 
any hints respecting the geology of this district. I should also, occasionally, be 
willing to make exchanges vmder suitable conditions. I may also add that there 
is an excellent Geological Museum at Warwick, containing the finest collection of 
New Eed Sandstone fossils in the kingdom, besides many other objects of interest. 
Faithfully yours, P. B. Bbodie, llowington Vicarage, near Warwick." 
Insects a^o Seeds in Peat at Stanway. — " Sie, — lu a bed of peaty matter, 
in which I have recently found most interesting remains, viz., tusks, teeth, and 
bones of the elephant and rhinoceros, there also appears much other organic 
matter, namely, the elytra of insects, seeds, &c. To recognize and name these 
requires the skill of one well versed in those departments of natural history, with 
which, unfortunately, 1 am not acquainted. 1 shall esteem it a great favour if 
you will have the goodness to infonn me where I could obtain assistance in getting 
this much-desired information, and you wQl much oblige, John Brown, Stanway." 
Geological Instei'ments. — " Sir, — Would it come within the scope of your 
publication to give a practical example or two on the modes of ascertaining the 
lieight of difls, quarries, hills, &c., and the method of using the clinometer and 
aneroid barometer ; or, if this could not conveniently be done, to furnish infonna- 
tlou as to the books in which those and similar matters of practical geology are 
most clearly and intelligiljly described ? Your aid would be acceptable to one, at 
least, and jjossibly to most of your subscribers. Since writing tlie first jiart of my 
letter, I notice, at ])age 210, a (piery very similar to my own, so that 1 think a little 
information on the aljove heads would be pretty generally valued. — J. A. F." 
Maidstone. — One of the new departments we open in this nmnber is that of Geolo- 
gical Manii)ulations. In the series of articles which will thus appear from time to 
time, information on liarometric measurements, geological surveying, preparation of 
microscopic objects, &c., ■\\ill be included. The numerous letters we have received 
on this point show how much such information is needed, and how highly it would 
be jirized. Whenever a real want like this is made kno\v n to us by geologists, we 
sliall always use our best exertions to gi\-e the required assistance. In the mean- 
time, we refer our corresjiondents to tlie iulbrmation on this subject contained in 
the last chapter of Professor Phdlips' late edition of his " Manual of Geology." 
TuE Movement by Ice of tue C'ulloden Maecu-stone. — " ]?eing edified and 
much gi-atified by hearing a discussion on al'rasure in rocks, occasioned by the sup- 
posed slipping of l)ouldcrs and glaciers, brought forward by Professor Pamsay in a 
paper read by him at the meeting of the Geological Society, on Wednesday even- 
ing, the 12tli ult., and commented upon by Sir Charles Ijyell, Professor Phillips, 
and Mr. Morris, it occurs to me that it will l)e instructive to put on record in 
your interesting periodical a circumstance corroborative of the views taken by the 
learned speakers on that occasion, whicli happened, I think, in 1817, near 
my native towTi, Inverness. That town, siuTounded at short distances by tabic- 
