PEOCEEDIXGS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 
25 
PROCEEDINGS OE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 
Geologists' Association. — The first meeting of the present session 
■was held. Norember 3rd, at the rooms of the Medical Society of London, 
George Street, Hanover Square, whither the Association has removed. A 
paper was read by Mr. Carter Blake on " Fossil Elephants," which elicited 
some very interesting remarks from Mr. Charlesworth, ]Mr. Cresy, and 
Professor Tennant, the President. Mr. Evans then read a communication 
on the geology of the railway-works in the vicinity of London, and illus- 
trated his paper by an exceedingly interesting suite of fossils. 
Manchestee Geological Society. — The twenty-fifth Annual Meet- 
ing was held at the Museum, Peter Street, on the 29th October last. The 
Eeport showed the Society in a very prosperous state. 
The following gentlemen were elected office-bearers for the ensuing 
year: — President: Andrew Knowles, Esq. Vice-Presidents: E.W. Bin- 
ney, F.E.S., F.G.S., Sir Jas. P. Xay-Shuttleworth, Bart., F.G.S., Joseph 
Dickinson, F.G.S., "NV. Eoby Barr, Esq. Treasurer: Mr. Henry Mere 
Ormerod. Auditors: P.P. Greg. E.G. S., Mr. James Hertz. Honorary 
Secretaries : John Atkinson, F.G.S., Jolm Edward Forbes, F.G.S. 
Honorary Curators : Mr. E. AY. Binney, Mr. H. M. Ormerod. Council : 
Mr. Thomas Ashworth, Mr. John Bradbury, ]Mr. Joseph Chatwood, i\Ir. 
John Cross, Mr. Thomas Farrimond, Mr. Joseph Goodwin, Mr. G. C. 
Greenwell, Mr. J. J. Horsfall, Mr. Clegg Livesey, Mr. George Peace, 
Mr. John Taylor, Mr. John Wild. 
Representatives of the Society at the Council Meetings of the Natural 
History Society — Mr. E. W. Binney and Mr. Alderman Harvey. 
South Shields Geological Club. — The anniversary meeting was 
held on the 13th November. In addition to the independent investiga- 
tions of members of the South Shields Geological Club, the Club have 
found it exceedingly interesting and instructive to pursue, during fixed 
winter evenings, a systematic and practical examination of geological phe- 
nomena, for which the numerous lithological and fossil specimens in their 
possession, or procured during various explorations, have supplied ample 
and admirable materials for comparison and illustration. 
The important advantages that have been already derived from the es- 
tablishment of the Club, have abundantly demonstrated the great value of 
the application of the co-operative principle, even to the active pui'suit of 
natural science. 
The President's Address referred to some points of geological interest 
connected M-ith the ground traversed during the preceding season, and in- 
dicated the special departments that would occupy consideration during 
the one now approaching. 
The coal-fields of Durham and Northumberland are traversed in various 
directions by Basaltic dykes, which at several points are exposed, and good 
opportunities atfbrded for observing them. The most remarkable of these 
igneous masses in the North of England is the great whin sill, so named, 
in contradistinction to whin dj/l-e, on account of its stratiform character, 
and general conformability to the stratified beds on which it rests. It is 
composed chiefly of Greenstone and Basalt, and extends from Brough, in 
Westmoreland, to within a very few miles of Berwick-upon-Tweed. It is 
generally of one stratiform mass, but sometimes two, and even three, strati- 
form beds occur. The course of the whin sill, from the Pennine range, is 
in a north-easterly direction, and after crossing the North Tyne appears 
vol. VII. E 
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