138 Proceedings of the Boyal Society 
rocks are visible. There is an entire absence of boulders. From 
the banks of the small streams and the ditches by the side of the 
road, it was plain that sand and gravel lies in great beds immediately 
below the surface. 
X. NORTH PART OF THE LEWIS. 
The Convener, through the courtesy of Mr M‘Kay of Stornoway, 
Sir James Matheson’s factor, was enabled to visit Lochs Ourn and 
Sheil, arms of the sea, to the south of Stornoway, on the east coast 
of Lewis. He landed from the steam yacht at both of these places, 
and had time to ascend several hills. 
The rocks here, as at most other places, present their smooth faces 
to the W.1ST.W., their rough faces to the E.S.E. 
At Loch Ourn, one of the boulders at a height of 200 feet above 
the sea (size 7x5x4 feet) lay on the west side of the hill upon a 
rock surface sloping down to N.W. at an angle of 20°. 
At Loch Sheil, at a height of 325 feet above the sea, the only 
boulder of any size (10x6x4 feet) was on a hill-side facing 
W.N.W., and on a rock surface sloping down in that direction at 
an angle of 15° ; but 5 or 6 yards below the boulder, the slope down 
of the rock was 30°. The longer axis of the boulder pointed west 
by north. 
The yacht steamed round the “ Shiant ” Islands, to afford an 
opportunity of seeing their magnificent basaltic columns. They 
are on a grander scale than those in Staffa, and exhibit remarkable 
curvatures. These islands are partly composed also of schists and 
stratified rocks, more susceptible of diluvial action than the hard 
basalt ; and it was easy to see even from the deck of the steamer 
that a KW. current had acted on them. Boulders also of 
considerable size were observed on the slopes facing the ET. W. 
The Convener regretted much that there was no opportunity of 
landing. 
4. Uig , on the west coast of Lewis. On the hill near the parish 
church, about 186 feet above the sea, all the smoothed rocks front 
W.S.W., and on many rock surfaces sloping down towards west 
boulders were lying. 
At two places, rocks were found with ruts and striae. As at both, 
the general features were the same, one only may be illustrated by 
