120 Proceedings of the Boy al Society 
stone, mentioned in a former page as having been thrown by a giant 
to the top of a mountain. Dr Johnston said he would accompany 
us as far as riding on horseback was practicable — which he 
did. Coll and I scrambled up the rest. Dr J. placed himself on 
the ground, with his back against a fragment of rock, while we 
were employed examining the stone, which did not repay our trouble 
in getting to it. Dr J. amused himself reading a book which he 
found in the garret of Coil’s house.” 
The stone mentioned in these extracts as at the “top of a moun- 
tain,” is the one at the top of Ben Hock, marked B, and shown in 
fig- 4. 
The other stone, mentioned as being at a “ small distance from 
the bottom,” is C. 
Boswell observes that an examination of the boulder at the top 
of the hill did not repay his trouble in getting to it ; but. if he 
had been able to elicit, from a study of the boulder and its site, 
the information which geological science now reveals, he would have 
thought that the trouble of getting to it was well repaid, and he 
would have been able to give a more probable explanation of how 
it came to the top of the hill, than that a giant threw it up there at 
his mistress. 
IV. — ISLAND OF STAFFA. 
In the Committee’s second Report notice is taken of a hasty visit 
to this trap island by the Convener, which, having occurred on a 
stormy day, afforded an opportunity of discovering only one or 
two blocks of red granite. 
On account of the interest of finding on an island boulders or 
even pebbles of rocks, not existing there in situ , the Convener, 
in June last, paid another half-hour’s visit to Staffa, by means 
of the passenger steamboat, which takes tourists to the caves. 
He remembered that, on the occasion when he formerly visited 
the island, the boulders fallen in with were chiefly in the founda- 
tions and walls of ruined cottages and sheep stalls. The basaltic 
rocks of the island were no doubt found less suitable for building 
purposes. On this occasion, by the advice of the captain of the 
steamer, the Convener sought for pebbles and boulders in a small 
bay on the east side of the island. He found several small boulders 
