766 
Proceedings of the Royal Society 
Before, however, explaining the means which the Committee 
have agreed to adopt for classifying the information obtained, 
the Committee think it right to record, in a few sentences, the 
circumstances which led to the appointment of the Committee. 
The subject of the transportation across the country of masses of 
rock by some natural agency, has from a very early period been 
discussed in the Eoyal Society of Edinburgh. In the year 1812, Sir 
J ames Hall, the Society’s President, was the first to break ground, by 
reading a valuable Memoir, afterwards published in the Society’s 
Transactions. The subject was from time to time again brought 
before the Society by different Fellows, — whose names merely may 
be mentioned, — viz.. Principal James Forbes, Professor Fleming, 
Professor Mcol, Mr James Smith of Jordanhill, Mr Charles Maclaren, 
Mr Bobert Chambers, Eev. Thomas Brown, and Mr Milne Home. 
The facts brought forward in this way, of course, were only such as 
happened to have been noticed in particular districts by individual 
observers. But as it was known that the distribution of Boulders 
was universal over Scotland, not only on the Mainland, but on 
the Islands of the Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shetland, it was felt, 
in order to pave the way for a complete discussion, that inquiries 
of a more comprehensive character were desirable. 
In the year 1870, Mr Milne Home received a communication from 
Professor Favre of Geneva, stating that an inquiry of this character 
had, with the co-operation of the Swiss Geological Society, been 
commenced in Switzerland; that the Geological Society of France had 
resolved to follow the example ; and he expressed a hope that Mr 
Milne Home, who he heard had taken some interest in the Boulder 
question, would endeavour to institute a similar inquiry for Scotland. 
Mr Milne Home submitted this correspondence to the late Sir 
Eobert Christison, and he having expressed approval of Professor 
Favre’s suggestions, Mr Milne Home read a paper in the Society, 
embracing his correspondence with the Swiss Professor, and sug- 
gesting the appointment of a Committee, with power to make the 
requisite inquiries. Such a committee was shortly thereafter (April 
1871), on the motion of Sir Eobert Christison, appointed by the 
Society’s Council. 
Altogether about 1500 circulars were issued by the Committee; 
answers to a considerable number of which were, in the course of the 
