44 
processes. The collection of alluvial or d/ ifl gold is 
an infinitively more simple process. The first is a 
procedure requiring capital ; the second requires 
only some bodily fatigue and mental perseverance. 
Sir James Simpson teDs me'that a specimen of the 
Breadalbane gold shown him by the late Marquis 
was also in. quartz ;—a statement of importance in 
reference to the existence not only of auriferous 
drifts, but of auriferous quartzites, in the Highlands 
of Perthshire. Mr James Eitchie, C. E., Perth, 
tells me that gold was found in mining argentiferous 
galena at Ardvoirlich ; and it has been discovered 
under similar circumstances in the lead mines of 
Tyiidrum. Mr Eitchie pJso reports the presence of 
gold in G-len Lednock, and other streams falling from 
the north into Loch Earn. Again, Mr Mercer in¬ 
formed me some years ago, that gold had been found 
in the upper valley of the Almond. Whence it would 
anpear that the basins of Lochs Tay and Earn have 
ah'cady proved to be auriferous. If this be conceded, 
it follows that other similar lake-basins in Perthshire 
are at least liJcelif to be auriferous— e.g., the Tros- 
sachs and Eannoch groups of lochs. 
VIII. My general coxclfsiox prom the pore¬ 
going DATA IS THAT AT LEAST THE HIGHLAND 
PORTION OP Perthshire is auriperous. 
A line dravm from Stonehaven to Eowardennan on 
Loch-Lomond divides Perthshire geologically into the 
Highland regio]i of the Lower Silurian slates and the 
Lowland region of the Old red sandstone. The north¬ 
ern, Highland, or Silurian region is auriferous through¬ 
out ; the southern, lowland, or sandstone district may 
be practicallv considered non-auriferous. The auri- 
ferous area includes the basins of Lochs Tay, Earn, 
Dochart, and Ereuchie ; Eannoch, Tummel, Lydoch, 
Ga,rry, and Ericht ; Katrine and neighbouring lakes. 
It also includes the upper waters of the Tay and 
Forth, and of many of their tributaries—such as the 
Earn and Almonds. The non-auriferous area embraces 
the fertile plains of lower Strathmore, lower Strath- 
earn, and the Carse of Gowrie. 
Gold may occur s<>atb. of the Highland or geological 
