REPORT ON GEOLOGY. 
385 
follow,—Asia as divided into the northern and central pro¬ 
vinces explored by the Russian Government, and those of India 
by our own nation. I shall conclude with North and South 
America: but in all these instances I shall reserve what relates 
to the two great points of tertiary and volcanic geology, as de¬ 
manding a distinct notice rather in their relations to the general 
questions of the science than to the geographical distribution 
of formations. 
To begin with France.—The geological map of this country 
now in progress has been already alluded to, and some of the 
preparatory essays of those to whom its execution is intrusted 
cited. The scientific publications of that country also contain 
many other most important Memoirs, of which I would espe¬ 
cially mention those of Boue on the South-west of France, of 
Roget on the district of Boulogne and on the Ardennes, and 
of Voltz on the two departments of the Rhine, as presenting 
the most important contributions to comparative geology. The 
work of Charpentier on the Pyrenees is excellent as a descrip¬ 
tive essay, but in many points connected with the secondary 
rocks appears to belong to the older rather than more modern 
geological school. 
English geologists have ably contributed to the elucidation 
of the comparative structure of the two countries,—especially, 
as was to be expected, of those districts of France which bor¬ 
dering on the Channel present the direct prolongations of our 
own formations ;—we may particularly refer to the examination 
of the Boulogne district by Dr. Fitton, and of the Norman 
coast by Mr. De la Beche. The institution of a geological 
Society in France, in 1830, cannot fail to promote the develop¬ 
ment of our science equally with its English prototype; and 
the travelling geological class of M. Boubee, whose members 
are conducted successively over the most interesting districts, 
may be considered as advantageously introducing a peripatetic 
school in geology. 
In the Netherlands, before the late disturbances, the Govern¬ 
ment had in like manner proposed to undertake the publication 
of a geological map. The scientific commission consisted of that 
venerable and zealous veteran in our science Omalius D’Halloy, 
so well known for his important Memoirs on these districts and 
the adjacent portion of France, published at an early period of 
modern science, when such communications were among its first 
models *. With him were associated Van Breda and Von Gor- 
* Omalius D’Halloy has since published a small outline geological map of 
France, and more recently a general work on the classification and history of 
the various formations. 
2 B 
