REMARKS ON THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
235 
eellanies. I had also an excursion with a friend to Tynemouth, for the purposes 
of Conchology, and shall be glad to send you an account of what we discovered. 
There was one more object, not mentioned, of course, among the 44 Lions,” but 
which was well worth seeing; this was a very large nursery-ground at Gates¬ 
head, well known over the whole of the North; there was an immense stock of 
young seedling trees ready for planting. I was told the number of them, but do 
not remember it. The grounds are not so large now as formerly, owing to the 
decease of their original proprietor; and being at present under the management 
of trustees, they were endeavouring to curtail the establishment. 
On returning from Port Carlisle on Wednesday afternoon, our steam-boat got 
aground in the Solway, and we were landed next morning at Annan, where we 
found we should be obliged to remain till Saturday, and proceed to Liverpool in 
another steamer. Having thus two days on my hands which I did not wish to 
spend unprofitably, I paid a visit to Ruthwall Manse, the residence of the Rev. 
H. Duncan, D.D., author of Sacred Philosophy of the Seasons. It is about 
eight miles from Annan, and though the country immediately round it is flat, 
still the grounds are very beautiful, and as complete a country residence as can 
possibly be desired, having every thing complete within itself. The views of the 
distant Scotch and English hills are extremely beautiful, and the rides in the 
neighbourhood are delightful. I saw some slabs of Red Sandstone which had 
been procured from the neighbourhood of Dumfries, containing the marks of 
Tortoises’ feet. These marks, I believe, Dr. Buckland proved to be those of 
Tortoises’ feet, by causing live Tortoises to walk over dough or soft paste, and 
then the resemblance was traced. Through the kindness of Dr. Duncan, the 
Liverpool Royal Institution is in possession of a slab containing these impres¬ 
sions, which, with the Storeton slabs, form an interesting collection. There were 
some highly interesting remains on the Doctor’s grounds, which were found in 
the neighbourhood of his residence, and from the inspection of which I derived 
much gratification. 
Woodside , near Liverpool , 
Bee. 10, 1838. 
[[One of the newspapers, in criticising a late number of The Naturalist , observed 
that 44 Remarks on the British Association, by a Member,” were 44 sadly out of 
date.” Probably the present paper will be considered still more ill-timed; but 
we reply that we are desirous of making the defects of the British Association 
generally known, with a view to the improvement of the Institution.— Ed.] 
vol. IV.—NO. XXIX. 
2 i 
