PEOCEEDI^GS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 
259 
pressing unequally on the inferior beds, would, when these were soft (as 
the -S'eocomian marls), press them up into arched conditions, like those of 
the floors of coal-mines in what the miners called " creeps."' Many ano- 
malous positions of the beds of Spatangen-kalk in the district of the Lake 
ofAnnecy were in all probabiHty owing to this cause: they might be 
studied advantageously in the sloping base of the great Eochers de Lanfon, 
which, disintegrating in curved, nearly vertical flakes, each a thousand feet 
in height, were nevertheless a mere outlying remnant of the great hori- 
zontal formation of the Parmelan, and formed, like it, of very thin hori- 
zontal beds of Rudisten-kalk, imposed on shaly masses of 2seocomian, 
modified by their pressure. More complex forms of harder rock were 
wrought by the streams and rains into fantastic outlines ; and the trans- 
verse gorges were cut deep where they had been first traced by fault or 
distortion. The analysis of this aqueous action would alone require a series 
of discourses ; but the sum of the facts was that the best and most interest- 
ing portions of the mountains were just those which were finally left, the 
centres and joints as it were of the Alpine anatomy. Immeasurable periods 
of time would be required to wear these away ; and to all appearances, 
during the j^rocess of their destruction, others were rising to take their 
place, and forms of perhaps far more nobh' organized moimtain would 
witness the collateral progress of humanity. 
Mavchesteh Scientific Students' Association. — The Association 
originated in the latter part of 1861, by the efforts of a few ardent lovers 
of science, w ho, stimulated by the recollection of the great pleasure they 
had derived from attending the sectional meetings of the British Asso- 
ciation on the occasion of its visit to Manche?ter, conceived the project 
of organizing in that city a permanent association, to enable students to 
meet frequently for the discussion of scientific topics, and to aflbrd them 
opportunities of frequent intercourse. The institution numbers some seventy 
members or more, and during the two sessions of last year, thirty lectures 
were delivered and five conversaziones held, one of which latter was geolo- 
gical. Amongst the lectures were the following geological topics : — '* The 
Coal Formation and its Fossils," by Mr. G. Butterworth ; The Chemistry 
of Coal," by Mr. James Eichards ; "On Volcanic Action," by Mr. T. 
Moss ; " Geological Traces of Primaeval Man." by Mr. W. C. Unwin ; 
"Iron," by Mr. E. Drew; "The Chalk Formation," bj' Mr. S. Shirley; 
"On Vertebrate Life — its Historj' and Peculiarities," by Mr. G. D. Hatton; 
"On Gold," by Mr. E. Drew. During the present year the geological 
lectures have been " The Hypozoic Eocks," by Mr. Eichard Smith ; " The 
Lowest Fossiliferous Eocks of England," by Mr. Samuel Shirley ; " The 
Devonian System," by Mr. George D. Hatton; " The Flora of the Coal- 
Measures," by Mr. William Grindon ; " Ice as an Agent of Geological 
Change," by Mr. F. Carulla ; " Fossil Saurians," hy Mr. E. Butterworth. 
Excursions have also been made ; amongst them, visits to the collieries of 
Worsley and Pendleton, and to the copper and lead mines at Alderley. 
EicHMOND Mechanics' Institute. — Mr. S. W. Xorth, of York, has 
lectured on the antiquity of man. The title of his lecture was, " Has not 
Man existed a hundred thousand years?" The now, to geologists, fami- 
liar topics were treated with lucidity and perspicuity, the lecturer agreeing 
in the recognized conclusions of the high antiquity of the human race, and 
the evidences of the fossil flint-implements which, as " works of his hands," 
he considers speak in unmistakable terms of man's presence, and serve to 
tell, not only of his existence, but something of his history." 
Geologists' Association. — On the 20th ult. a number of the members 
of this association assembled at Kcw Gardens, where, under the guidance 
