479 
of Edinburgh, Session 1870 - 71 . 
were so remarkable by their number and size, that, from an 
“ early period, they attracted the attention of naturalists, and 
“ suggested scientific inquiries. It is, indeed, interesting to seek 
“ to comprehend how enormous masses, with from 40,000 to 50,000 
“ cubic feet of contents, and weighing from 800 to 1000 tons, could 
“ be transported from the Alps from which they were evidently 
“ detached, to spots 40 and 50 leagues distant, crossing deep 
“ valleys, such as the lakes of Geneva, Neufchatel, Zurich, Con- 
“ stance, Lucerne, &c. 
“ This great problem has been discussed by numerous philo- 
“ sophers, both of Switzerland and of foreign countries.” Then 
follows a list of names, including those of our own Playfair, Lyell, 
Murchison, Forbes, Tyndall, and Kamsay. 
“ Unhappily,” (the circular goes on to state), “ during the last 
“ 100 or 150 years, these erratics have been broken up for building 
“ purposes, and even for road metal. Eecently the work of destruc- 
“ tion has gone on more rapidly, and, unless stopped, the result 
“ will be to obliterate all traces of one of the greatest facts in the 
“ natural histor}'' of our country. 
“ Though the destruction of these blocks is now advancing with 
“ great rapidity, there are still a number of very large specimens 
“ left, and these the Geological Commission is anxious to pre- 
“ serve.” 
“ The members of Archaeological Societies are interested in the 
“ conservation of these blocks, for they often bear those curious 
“ sculpturings, to which much importance is now justly attached.” 
“ The lovers of legends must regret to see these blocks disap- 
“ pearing, for ancient tradition tells how some have been flung by 
“ the Devil on a poor hermit; that another bears the name of a 
“ fish merchant in a town of w T hich there is now no trace, &c. 
“ The Geological Commission considers that the time has come 
“ for appealing to all who have any power over the fate of these 
“ blocks, that is to say, to individual proprietors, to communal 
“ authorities, and to municipalities. The Commission also entreats 
“ natural history societies, Alpine clubs, and public bodies, to co- 
“ operate in this work, in order to preserve for Switzerland a 
“ feature of the country, which, if not altogether peculiar to it, is 
“ at all events better developed there than in any other 
