36 
Reports and Proceedings — 
more or less concealed by Cambrian deposits overlying theni uncon- 
formably. Running ri early paralleL with Ramsay Sound is another 
large mass of the author’s Pebidian rocks, and at the south-western 
extremity of Ramsay Island they coinpose a bold hill almost 400 
feet high, and on the east side of this a fault, with a downthrow of 
at least 14,000 feet, has brought up the Arenig beds intocontactwith 
the pre-Cambrian rocks. 
2. “ On the Fossil Vertebrates of Spain.” By Prof. Salvador 
Calderon. Communicated by the President. 
This paper contained a few iutroduetory observations on the study 
of the fossil vertebrates of Spain, followed by a classified list of the 
species (68 in number) which have been recognized in that country. 
The author particularly remarked on the occurrence of Sivatherium 
and Eycftnarctos in Spain, on the finding of remains of the Mammoth 
in that country, and on the preseuce in the peninsula at a late period 
of Bos primigenius. The earliest known Spanish vertebrates have 
been obtained from the Carboniferous formation. 
December 6th, 1876. — Prof. P. Martin Duncan, M.B., F.R.S., 
President, in the Chair. 
The President announced the sad loss the Society had sustained 
in the death of Mr. David Forbes, F.R.S., one of its Secretaries, 
which took place on the moming of Tuesday, December 5tb. He 
thought it would be feit by all present that, as a mark of respect to 
the memory of one so highly esteemed, the proceedings of the Meet- 
ing should be limited to the absolutely necessary business ; but as 
one of the authors of a paper on the list had travelled a long dis- 
tance in order to attend the Meeting, it would hardly be fair to let 
him- go back with the purpose of liis journey unaccomplished. He 
therefore suggested that, in addition to the ordinary formal business 
of the Meeting, the memoir of MM. Topley and Lebour on the 
Whin Sill of Northumberland should be read, and that the Meeting 
should then adjourn. 
The following communication was read : 
“ On the Intrusive Character of the Whin Sill of Northumber- 
land.” By W. Topley, F.G.S., Assoc. Inst. C.E., Geological Survöy 
of England and Wales, and G. A. Lebour, F.G.S., Lecturer on Geolo- 
gical Surveyiug at the University of Durham College of Science, 
N ewcastle-on- Tyne. 
The Carboniferous Limestone series of the north of England con- 
tains a bed (or beds) of basalt, known as the “ Whin Sill,” regard- 
ing the nature of which opinion has long been divided. Some 
writers regard it as truly interbedded and contemporaneous ; others 
loolc upon it as intrusive, and as liaving been forced laterally between 
the planes of bedding. The latter opinion is that held by the 
authors, who stated that through South and Mid-Northumberland 
there can be no doubt as to the intrusive character of the Whin Sill. 
This conclusion can be established by the line of outcrop of the 
trap, and also by the evidence of individual sections. 
