=] | ~ =F; Y]| S A —T7 AN Xz =F — 7a MN yh LN jf S: *) > ~ Was , = 1) . Mild liam hlealey Dall.)} ete ee wees ccc ese s © eo eer te oe ee eee eee we mms mete eo ee ee eocwm eee Terese we eee e ce mee www wee 2 cece en ce ww we eae ewes es coe cee 0 0 we See cof ee WW 3 Ys a= Y ‘4 3 =wWe— NX> Ez r= if A KR Uy. 4 K A\ Vy; Zi PSS a= WAN 7 VN) WAS TE Ws 72 \ { bo < 1 1 (Mae! AE PO oper sult trae Ore tet (te Ree ha va ” RE es ee ee Secakao2 5 Cabed xe S BBP x SEUSS Versa 5 BGR gee iss See at Bice Toe fh Ne Bi owe 2 Re Shaky x Geox Sesagr ak B "hy 4 aim i c Www Gr.2h mae ieee Beet me x er Lae oy Bde tod ian aie ae 8 i 4 “s ya ¢ 259 by Piva ba hay * cemina ae at rats A: ish a ie PEe ar apa ye @neur.a pe a Ba Skt (rash rH ly! At hae OG | ts Wahl agivel Nunya ‘ “fi ‘ ie eM ‘p & & to Front Page. 5. Greenstone £ Granite id My: ’ | CONSTABLE & Fn: Wi Prats, AND | . BALLANTYNE & G0,; yas te Piya er, ®, ig: ae é A aR gay 28 Me ae ADVERTISEMENT. i: laying its Memoirs before the Public, this Socrr. TY does not hold itself as responsible for the facts or opinions which may be advanced on the various topics of Natural History that are discussed. These, accord- ingly, must be distinctly understood, as resting en- tirely on the individual authority of the respective Writers who have favoured the Society with Com- munications. Li Ee 8S se \ teeth f a0 Ua Th, ay rb y + } ry 7 arolath oi loa CONTENTS. I. On Cotemporaneous Vei eins. By Professor Jameson, : - ~ Pace 1 II. An Analysis of shea By Dr Thomson, - x 9. IIT. On the Asclepiadee, a natural order of Plants separated from the Apocince of — Jussieu. By Robert Brown, Esq; 12 IV. An Account of Five rare species of Bri- tish Fishes. By George Montagu, Esq3 - - - 79 V. Elucidation respecting the Pinna ingens of Pennant’s British se: By J. Laskey, Esq; - 108 VI. Mineralogical Queries, proposed by Pro- fessor Jameson, - - 107 Vill CONTENTS. VII. On the Transition Greenstone of Fass- ney. By Dr Ogilby, - Page 126 VIII. Description of a small-headed Narwal, cast ashore in Zetland. By the Rev. Mr Fleming, - - 131 IX. On colouring Geognostical Maps. By Professor Jameson, - - 149, X. Mineralogical Account of Papa Stour, one of the Zetland Islands. By the Rev. Mr Fleming, - : 162 XI. Observations on some peculiarities obser- wable in the structure of the Gannet ; and an account of an insect discovered to inhabit the cellular membrane of that bird. By George Montagu, Esq; = 176 XII. Account of a species of Fasciola which — infests the trachea of poultry, with a mode of cure. By George Montagu, Esq; : iy : i XIII. Some account of a Fin-Whale stranded near Alloa. By Patrick Neill, Sec. W.S. | - - . 201 XIV. A list of the rarer Plants observed in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. By Robert Maughan, Esq; - ee CONTENTS. Ax XV. Meteorological Journals, kept during woyages from Whitby to Greenland, and back again, in the years 1807, 1808, and 1809. By Mr W. Scores- by jun. - - Page 249 XVI. Observations on the natural and medi- cal history of the Zetland Sheep. jig Dr Edmondston, - 258 XVII. On the mineralogy and local scenery of certain districts in the Highlands of Scotland. By Dr Re pleniie Part 1. Benledi and its environs, 7 A, 2. From the Pass of Leny to _ Balahelish, - 294, 3. Strontian and Ben- Nevis, 319 Aprenpix. From Ben Lawers, thro Glentilt, to Braemar, . 358 AVIII. Account of North British Testacea. By J. Laskey, Esq; - 370 XIX. Remarks on some parts of the animal that was cast ashore on the Island of _Stronsa, September 1808. By Dr Barclay, * ° 418 Affidavits, &c. respecting the animal, 431 b x | XX, On the Topaz of Scotland. By Profes ‘ XXIL. XXIIL XXIV. XXV. XXVI. - CONTENTS. sor Jameson, - 49 445 XXI. Some Remarks upon the Pudding o Conglomerate Rock, which whet hes along the Seuth Front of the Gram- pian Mountains, By Lieut.-Col.. Imrie, : uy Vin On the Strontian Lead-glance forma- tian. By Professor Jameson, On Cryolite. By Professor Jameson, On the Veins that occur in the newest Fletz-trap formation of East Lo- thian. By Dr Ogilby, - On the Coal-formation of Clackma- nanshire. By Mr R. Baldy - On the gaseous combinations of Hy- drogen and Carbon. By Dr Vhom- son, - - - 453 461 465 “@ 4,69 504 XXVII. List of Fishes found in the Frith of ° Forth, and Rivers and Lakes near Edinburg h, with Remarks. By Pa- trick Neill, Sec. Ws. = XXVIII. Catalogue of Animals, of the Class Vermes, found in the Frith of Forth, and other Parts of Scotland. By _ Professor Jameson, - ~ ete ae es CONTENTS. X1 XXIX. List of Insects found in the neighbour- hood of Edinburgh. By My C. Stew- art, - ; Page 506 XXX. Account of the Balena Mysticetus, or Great Northern or Greenland W hale. By Mr W. Scoresby jus. ~ 578 XXAXI. Summary of Experiments and Obser- wations on the Germination of the Graminea. By Dr Yule, A ee XXXII. Account of the Coal Formation at Durham. By Thomas Mackenzie, I'sq; - - O0# AXXAITT. Afeteorological Observations on a Greenland Voyage in the Ship Resolu- tion, in the Year } 810. By Mr Wil- liam Scoresby jun. - 6OOY SXXIV. Analysis of Compact Felspar from Sp Pentland fills. By Charles Mac- Kenzie, M.D. A - ,616 Corrections and Additions, = 621 ee a +4 see AER 5 " 1808. jan. 12. 1808. Jan. 12. LIST OF MEMBERS. - LIONORARY. Apsprauam Gottritop WERNER, Counsellor of the Mines of Saxony, Professor of Mineralo- gy, and the Art of Working Mines, at Frey- berg, Honorary Member of the Royal Socie- ty of Edinburgh, &c. &c. The Right Honourable Sir JosErpH Banks, Baronet, K. B. President of the Royal Socie- ty, F.A.S. Honorary Member of the Lin- nean Society, F.R.5. Edin. & M.R.IA. &e. : RicHarD Krrway, Esq; President of the Royal Irish Academy, &c. © RESIDENT. Rosert Jameson, F.R.S. Edin. & F.L.S. Professor of Natural History in the Univer- sity of Edinburgh. Wittiam Waicut, M.D. F.R.S.L. & Ed. AL. Ss Tuomas Macxnicut, D.D.F.R.S. Ed. Joun Barciay, M. D. F.R.S. Ed, b 3 IV Mar. 3. Apr. 9. June 11. 1809. Feb. rr. Axpr. 8. - May 13. Dec. 9. zz” LIST OF MEMBERS. Tuomas Tuomson, M. D. F. RS. Ed. STEWART Murray Futierton, Esq; of Ful- lerton. Cuartes Anperson, M. DJ F.R.C.S. Patrick WALKER, Esq; F.L.5. Patrick Nerztu, A.M. A.L.S. James Lasker, Esq; F.L.S. Joun Yurz, M.D. Fellow R. Coll. Phys. James Home, M. ‘D. F.R.S. Ed. Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Edin- burgh. James Russzx1, F.R.S.E. Professor of Cli- nical Surgery in the University of Edin- burgh. CHARLES STEWART MENTEITH, Esq; of Close- burn. Joun Tuomson, M.D. Professor of Military Surgery in the University of Edinburgh. Major-General ALEXANDER Dirom, F.R.S.L. Bebe ANDREW Coventry, M.D. F.R.S.E. Profes- sor of Agriculture in the University of Edin- burgh, Joan Camppet, Esq; F.R.5. E. Wii_tiAmM Tennant, LL. D. Cuarzes Stewart, Esq; F.L.S. “ALEXANDER Wr iz, M.D. Fellow R. i Phys. | WiiiiaM Farquuarson, M.D. F.R.5. Ed. WILLIAM STENHOUSE, Esq; RogBERT STEVENSON, Esq; Joun Gorpon, M. D. Lecturer on Anatomy, &c. Mr Patrick Sime, Painter of Objects in Na- tural History. al 1810. Mar.10. Nov. Zidin 1811. ‘ LIST OF MEMBERS. KY Lieutenant-Colonel Imriz, F. R.S. E. ; LAURENCE JAMESON, Esq; , alla Efg; . ” ” Jan. 12. CHarLes Mackenzie, M. D. Feb.16. Davip Bripces, Esq; F. A. S. Rogert Brices, M. D. Chandos Professor of Anatomy, &c. St Andrews. Wiiiam Cavett, Esq; James Grecory, M.D. Royal Navy. ALEXANDER Monro jun. M.D. joint Profes-— sor of Anatomy and Surgery in the Univer- sity of Edinburgh. Patrick Murray, Esq; of Simprim. Rogert Maueuan, Esq; F.L. 5. Tuomas Mackenzie, Esq; jua. of Applecross; Tuomas Jameson, Esq; Mar. 9 ANDREW BELL, Esq; Wittiam Exrrorp Leacu, Esq; F.L.§. WitiiAM EL tis, Esq; WiLitAM JAMEson, Esq; W.S. NON- RESIDENT. Wit1iam Avip, Esq, Hudson’s Bay. WitiiaMm Basineton, M. D. F.R.S. London. Rogert Bap, Esq; Alloa. Joun Barrow, Esq. F. R. 5. London. Cuarves BEL, Esq; F. R.S. E. Lecturer on Anatomy and Surgery, London. WitriaM Borrer, juz. Esq; F.L.S. Comrye DE Boyrnon, F.R. 5S. London. b4 XV1 LIST OF MEMBERS. Rozert Brown, Esq; F. R. S. London. Dr Browy, Lecturer on Botany, Glasgow. Dr James Brown, St Andrew’s. Dr Francis Bucuanan, Calcutta, M.D. F.R.5S. &e. E.D Crarxe, LL.D. Professor of Mineralogy, Cam- bridge. Dr James CxiarxeE, Trinidad. Dr Rozsert Crecuory, Professor of Chemistry, Glas- gow. James Cowrer, Esq; Professor of Astronomy, Glasgow. Homeury Davy, Esq; F.R.S. Lomon. Lewis Weston Dititwyry, Esq; F.R.& LS. EpwarpD Doyovay, Esq; F.L.5. Dr Artuur Epmonpston, Lerwick, a Rosert Fercovson, Esq; F.R.S.L.& E. Raith. Dr WitztiaM Fitton, London. Reverend Joun Ftemine, F. A.S. Bressay, Zetland, Captain Frinpers, R.N. Dr Rogpert FREER, Professor of Medicine, Glasgow. f G.B.B. Greenoves, Esq; M.P. P.G.S. Reverend WILLIAM GREGOR, Cornwall. Right Rev. SamuEt GoopEnoueéu, Lord Bishop of Car. ‘lisle, F.R.S. SV PILLS. Professor ROBERT HALDANE, St Andrew’s. Guartes Haténet, Esq; F.R.5S.& FLL... Joun Hawkins, Esq; F.R.5. Brignor Park. Dr Wittisam Henry, Manchester. WiriitaMm Jackson Hooxir, Esq; Halesworth, F. 1. 8. Sir ABranAm Hume, Baronet, F.R. 5. Admiral Joun Hunter, Leith, Dr WiiziiaMm Jack, King’s College, Aberdeen, Dr James Jackson, St Andrew’s. 7 LIST OF MEMBERS. a < 31) 7 9 Reverend ANDREW JamEson, St Mungo, Dumfries- shire. : Dr Jamison, R.N. F.L.S. Dr JamMEs JEFFRAY, Professor of Anatomy, Glasgow. Guarues Konic, Esq; F.R. & L. S. British Museum. Dr J. Kipp, Professor of Chemistry, Oxford. Rev. Wittiam Kirsy, F.L.S. Right Honourable GrorceE Knox, Dublin. AyiMeER Brooke LamBert, Esq; F.R.S. & V.P.L.S, Joun Latuam, M.D. F.R.& L.S. Witritam LocHeEaD, Esq; Trinidad. M. De Luc, Windsor. Mr G. A. Detuc, Geneva. Dr James Macpona tp, Belfast. ALEXANDER MAcLEAY, Esq; Sec. L.S. & F.R. Se Tuomas MarsHaM, Esq; Tr. L. 5S. Wiiiram Georce Marton, M.D. &c. Dr WitLtiAM MEIKLEHAM,. Professor of Natural Philo- sophy, Glasgow. James My ne, Esq; Professor of Moral Philosophy, Glasgow. Grorce Montacu, Esq; Knowel House, Devonshire, F. 1. 5. LockHart MoreEwEAD, Esq; Professor of Natural Hi- story, Glasgow. Dr James Ocixsy, Dublin. Professor WILLIAM OciLBy, Aberdeen. James Parkinson, Esq; Hoxton. Reverend Tuomas Racket, M.A. F.R.S. &c. Poitier Rasuieicen, Esq; F.R.S. WiriiaM RasuLeieu, Esq; F.R.S. _ Rev. Dr Ropert Rewwie, Professor of Natural Histe- ry, Aberdeen, XVI LIST OF MEMBERS. © Reverend Dr W. Ricuarpsow, Portrush, Ireland. Sir Jonn ST AUBIN, Baronet, F.R. S. WiiiaM Scoressy junior, Esq; Whitby. Dr GeorGE SHAw, London. | Dr James Epwarp Situ, President of the Linnean’ Society, &c. James Sowersy, Esq; F.L.S. WILLIAM SPENCE, Esq; F.L.S. Wuittay Stokes, Esq; M. D. Dublin. Dr Stokes, Chesterfield. Reverend Dr Joun Stuart, Luss, A. L.S. Sir THomas SUTTON, Baronet. Dawson Turner, Esq; Yarmouth, M.A. F.R.S. & Bok. 8. General VALLENCY, Dublin. James Watt, Esq; Birmigham. Tuomas WEAVER, Esq; Cronebane, Ireland. Dr W. Hyp WoLLastTon, secretary of the Royal Se- ciety, London. FOREIGN. Br W. B. Atmonp, Halifax, North America. M. ALEXANDRIDES, Constantinople. M. Anpre Brun, Moravia. Dr ARCHIMANTRIDES, Anthimus, Thessaly. Mr L. A. Von Arnnim, Germany. Dr Josrru Baapber, Munich. Dr Smitu Barton, Professor of Natural History, Phi- ladelphia. M. Da Camara Betuencourt, Brazil. Dr BernuarDE, Erfurt, LIST OF MEMBERS, ~ , os M. Berzevivs, Stockholm. M. L. A. G. Bosc, Paris. M. J. Brunner, Bodenmais. J. Fr. Buumewzacn, M. D. Professor of Natural Histe- ry, Gottingen, F.R.5. & F.L.S. M. BonpianD, Paris. Count Sraniszaus Duwrn BorKowskl, ate M. Scrrio Bretsiac, Naples. M. J. M. Brocuant, Paris. M. ALEXANDER BrocGniart, Paris. Dr ArcHisaLD Bruce, Professor of Mineralogy, New. York. M. Von Bucu, Berlin. M. Bucuouz, Erfurt. M. Caronipbes, Joannina, Cyprus. M. La Cereps, Paris. M. CuarpENnTIER junzor, Freyberg. M.L. Corpiir, Paris. Dr Cricuton, Petersburgh. M. G. Cuvier, Paris. M. ¥. Cuvier, Paris. M. Danprapba, Portugal. es M. J. F. Dausuisson, Paris. M. DEcANDOLLE, Paris. i 2 Be, d be ts ; i M. DEFONTAINES, Paris. M. J.C. DELAMETHERIE, Paris. M. DERIABIN, Siberia. M. A. M.C. Dumerit, Paris. M. D. Eiuvyar, Mexico. Ke: M. Jens Esmarx, Konigsberg, Norway. M. V. Evacora, schidtista, Macedcnia. xx LIST OF MEMBERS, M. Maruras Frurt, Munich. M. FREIESLEBEN, Thuringia. Professor Fauvjas DE St Fonp, Paris. Colonel Giss, New York. | M. GoETHE, Counsellor of State, Weimar. Dr Grier, Switzerland. Dr Cart CowstanTIN HABERLE, Weimar. M. J. J. Omativus p’HAL oy, Paris. M. v’AsBeE Haiiy, Paris. M. HERDER, Freyberg. Professor HERRGEN, Madrid. M. Hisencer, Stockholm. M. Von Horr, Weimar. M. C. A.S. Horrman, Inspector, &c. Freyberg. Count HorrmanseEGcG, Brunswick. Baron Von Humsounrt, Berlin. M. JussreEv, Paris. Professor D. L. G. Karsten, Berlin. Professor M. K. Kraprortu, Berlin. M. A. W. KoEu er, Freyberg. Professor J.B P. A. Lamark, Paris. Dr Joan Lampert, Stockholm. Professor Lampapivus, Freyberg. P, A. LATREILE, Paris. M. Gittet Laumont, Paris. M. Le LigEvre, Paris. M. C. C. Leonnarp, Hanaw. Dr Lupwic, Professor of Natural History, Lett — Witiiam Mactiort, Esq; Philadelphia. M. Henry Meuper, Freyberg. \ LIST OF MEMBERS. XX M. C. F. B. Mirset., Paris. Dr S. L. MitcHeEtt, Professor of Natural History, New York. M. Freperick Mous, Stiria. Baron Von MOLt, Salzburg. e Chevalier NapioneE, Turin, Italy. M. Louis NEGKER, Geneva. M. Von DER Nvx1, Vienna. Professor PrcteT, Geneva. M. FreyHERR Von RacuniTZ, Dresden, M. Raymonp, Paris. _ Dr AmproseE Reuss, Bilin, Bohemia. M. De 1a Rio, Mexico. M. THEopoRE SaussurE, Geneva. Professor F. W. J. SCHELLING, Munich. M. Von ScHLOTHEIM, Weimar. Dr Scuumacuer, Copenhagen. Dr SERIvs, Karapetsch, Thessaly. M. SEVERGEN, Petersburgh. Mr F. T. Sonnescumrp, Madlareuth in Voigtland. Dr Henry STEFFENS, Copenhagen. M. SwEDENSTIERNA, Stockholm. Dr F. STRANSKY, Knight of Greifenfels, Bohemia. Sir CHARLES PETER THUNBERG, Upsal, M. D.F.R.S. & F.L.S. Lond. | Dr Tixesivs, Leipzic. M. VicenTE VALENTIA, Mexico. «© XX LIST OF MEMBERS, M. VauqveE in, Paris. . M. J. C. W. Voieut, Ilmenau. Dr Wanp, Copenhagen. Col. LEon DE WaAxEL, Petersburgh. Dr C.S. Weiss, Leipsic. Dr James WYLIE, Petersburgh. . Baron Von Zois, Austria. L sae. OFFICE-BEARERS, 1811. President. Ropert Jameson, Esq. Prof. Nat. Hist. Edin. Vice-Presidents. ‘Dr Wricur. Dr Barciay. Dr Macxnicut. Dr Tuomson. Patrick WaLKeER, Esq. Treasurer. Patrick NEILL, Esq. Secretary. Mr Sime, Painter of Objects in Nat. Hist. Council. Dr C, ANDERSON. 1 Dr Jonn THomson. Dr James Home. | Dr TENNANT. Dr Joun Yue, Dr WYLIE. General Dirom, | Joun Campse tt, Esq; _ wie fis e u Lbs MEMOIRS, ¢v. I. On Cotemporaneous Veins. By Professor JAMESON. _ (Read 2d March 1808. ) As it is of importance to be able to distin- guish true from cotemporaneous veins, and also to know the different cotemporaneous veins that oc- cur in mountain-rocks, I shall now state to the Society the characters by which these kinds of veins are distinguished from each other, and al-. so the more striking instances of cotemporaneous veins that occur in several of the great rock-for- mations. 1. Zrue Veins ave from a few inches to several fathoms wide; and from afew yards to several hundred yards long. They traverse different stra- ta, and are confined to single beds or strata, only 4 | 2 ON COTEMPORANEOUS VEINS. in those cases when the beds or strata are of uncommon thickness. ‘Their direction is not tor- tuous, and they seldom give off many branches. The mass of the vein is generally distinctly se- parated from its walls: it is frequently disposed in beds or layers, and these are parallel with the walls of the vein. At the outgoing of bedded veins, the beds are near the walls; but farther down, they approach the middle of the veins, and consequently are so arranged, that the newer beds are contained in the older. ‘They often contain _ fragments, which lie promiscuously, and are either acute-angular, blurit-angular, or rounded. Last- ly, the materials of true veins, are more or less _ different from the rock which they traverse, and the same vein sometimes contains several forma- tions: - 2. Cotemporaneous Veins are from a few inches to the smallest discernible breadth. Their length is from a few inches to an hundred: feet and up- wards. Their course is tortuous, and they give off numerous branches. The mass of the vein is generally intimately mixed with and passes into that of its walls, and differs but little in its con-’ stituent parts from that of the rock which it tra- verses. They contain but few drusy cavities ; never more than one formation; and when they contain apparent fragments, the slaty structure of these is ever conformable to that of the con- tiguous rocks. Lastly, they traverse but single ON COTEMPORANEOUS VEINS. ‘§ beds and strata, and are observed to wedge out in every direction, and consequently have no out- going above, below, or laterally, intimating, that they have not been filled from above or below, but are, as it were, a secretion from the ‘rock itself. ‘These veins are denominated cotempora- neous, because they appear to have been formed at the same time with the rock in which they are contained. | Cotemporaneous veins occur in every moun- tain-rock. Granite, which is the oldest rock h1- therto discovered, contains different kinds of co- temporaneous veins. Thus, some are entirely fil- led with quartz ; others contain only felspar or mica; others are composed either of felspar and. quartz, forming a granular rock, or of felspar, quartz, and mica, in the usual granitic proportion, therefore forming a true granite. ‘Thus, it ap- pears, that all the constituent parts of granite oc- cur either singly or together in the form of co- temporaneous veins. Gueiss has the same consti- tuent parts as granite; hence we find it contain- ing similar cotemporaneous veins. ‘These veins do not present the slaty structure which is one of the discriminating characters of gneiss when it oc- curs in strata; hence cotemporaneous veins, filled with common granular, or what may be called granitic gneiss, have been confounded with true granite. Mica-slate, the rock next in age to gneiss, is composed of quartz and mica; and these are granular in the small, and slaty in the AD a 4 ON COTEMPORANEOUS VEINS. large. It contains cotemporaneous veins of quartz ; also of mica; and of a granular rock composed of quartz and mica, differing from mica-slate in wanting the slaty structure; thus bearing the same relation te mica-slate, that granitic gneiss does to common gneiss. Greenstone, a well known aggregate rock of hornblende and felspar, contains numerous cotemporaneous veins of felspar, also of hornblende, and of greenstone. ‘These veins are sometimes of great extent : in the floetz-green- stone of Salisbury Craigs near Edinburgh, there are cotemporaneous ‘veins of felspar, upwards of an hundred feet long, and from half an inch to two inches wide. All the cotemporaneous veins we have just de- scribed, contain the same minerals as those that compose the rock which they traverse. It fre- quently happens, however, that cotemporane- ous veins occur composed of minerals that differ considerably from those of the rock in which they are contained: Thus serpentine con- tains cotemporaneous veins of asbest, talc, steatite, and lithomarge: these substances, it is true, have Sets a strong oryctognostic affinity with serpentine, but differ more from it than granular gneiss does from common gneiss, or granular mica-slate from com- mon mica-slate. linty-slate is frequently tra- versed by numerous cotemporaneous veins of quartz; and ¢ransition-limestone with numerous veins of calc-spar. Numerous examples also oc- eur of cotemporaneous veins filled with materials as} eee ON COTEMPORANEOUS VEINS. 5 entirely different from the rock in which they are situated: Thus, clay-slate is sometimes traversed by cotemporaneous veins of quartz: serpentine, by cotemporaneous veins of magnetic ironstone, and. clay ironstone, by numerous cotemporaneous veins of calc-spar, and also of mineral pitch. ‘Tt is worthy of particular remark, that cotem- poraneous veins sometimes open at the upper or under side of the stratum or bed in which they are contained, owing to the rent accidentally reach- ing either to the upper or under surface. In- stances of this appearance, are to be seen in the greenstone of Salisbury Craigs, where cotempo- ranecus veins of felspar traverse greenstone, but open in some places at the lower side of the bed where it rests upon sandstone. Very striking ap- _ pearances of the same kind occur in Glencloy, in the island of Arran: there the cotemporaneous veins are of greenstone, and above a foot wide; they traverse a bed of greenstone, and open on its lower side where it rests upon sandstone. Vide PE I. Fig. 1. These veins, where in contact with the sandstone, as at a, are sometimes partly intermixed with it. Similar appearances occur in other rocks, as mica-slate, transition-lime- stone, and gneiss. Thus we often observe in mountains ‘composed ‘of mica-slate, — cotempo- Faneous veins of quartz opening on the upper and under sides of a stratum, which rests upon and is. covered. by.-strata of | micarslate ; but. a 6 ON COTEMPORANEOUS VEINS. these veins in general do not extend beyond ‘the individual. stratum in which they are con- tained. ‘Transition-limestone is often traversed by cotemporancous veins of calc-spar, and these veins frequently open on the upper and under sides of individual beds, contained between stra- ta of grey-wacke, and gréy-wacke-slate. Some- times the matter of these veins is observed mixed with the matter of the subjacent stratum, al- though that stratum be.completely different from the limestone or calc-spar. In mountains com- posed of strata of gneiss, veins of felspar, and of quartz, also of simple granular or granitic gneiss, occur in precisely the same situation and rela- tions, as the veins of quartz, and granular mica- slate, in mountains of common mica-slate. It sometimes happens, that cotemporaneous veins of granitic gneiss open on the under-side or floor of a stratum of common gneiss, where it rests upon granite; and such appearances, which are not un- common, have been viewed as veins of granite, shooting from .old granite into the superincum- bent gneiss, arid as demonstrating that granite is newer than the rocks which rest upon it *. — fis granite be really newer than the rocks which rest. upon it, it follows, t that it must be newer than grey-wacke, transition- -trap, transition- limestone, floctz-limestone, and floctz-sandstone, because these rocks have been observed, and in highly inclined strata, Testing upon granite : in short, ON COTEMPORANEOUS VEINS. © 7 Pl. I. Fig. 2. a. represents cotemporaneous veins in mica-slate. Pl. I. Fig. 2. 5. represents cotemporaneous veins of granitic gneiss in gneiss, and in some places in contact with the old granite. in place of being the oldest rock hitherto observed, it must be one of the newest. It is also equally evident, that if granite be of so new a formation, we should find the sup- posed granite veins issuing from the subjacent granite, and traversing the superincumbent newer rocks. Yet no one ever saw a granite vein in any of the transition or floetz. tocks, although their junctions with granite have been carefully examined in many and very distant coun. tries. fer@ing ALES If. An Analysis ae Ptior-Spae _ By Tuomas THomsox, M. D. F. R.S. E. uae 112 ye 1808. a §) Tue minera 7 patie ‘Ftide Spar has beer: i | known, and valued on account of its beauty, and the ease with which it can be turned on the lathe into various ornaments and useful utensils. © Tt’ occurs chiefly in veins, and very frequently ac- companies lead-ore. Some of its properties have been described more than a century ago, as, for example, its phosphorescing when heated, and its corroding glass when mixed with sulphuric or ni- tricacid. But it is not forty years since its com- position was discovered by Scheele, who demon- _ strated, that it is composed of lime, and a pecu- liar acid, called Fluoric. Chemists now distin- guish it by the name of Fluate of Lime. _ Hitherto, no chemical analysis of this salt has been published, except a very incorrect one by Kirwan and Gren, which has been ascribed to Scheele, though I cannot find it in any of his dis- sertations on fluor-spar. By that analysis, it is. A eC te ANALYSIS OF FLUOR-SPARi» 9 - made toscontain 27 per cent. of water, a propor- — tion very inconsistent with the properties of na~ tive fluate of lime, which, when strongly heated in a wind furnace, loses at an average, only ~4,th part of its weight. ‘The obvious inaccuracy of _ the analysis given by the authors just mentioned, induced me to make a set of experiments on it last summer (1807). I selected the purest transparent colourless crystal, which I found by repeated trials to be very nearly pure fluate of lime. When re- duced to a fine powder, and digested in nitric acid, I found in the acid only a little lime, owing doubtless to the partial decomposition of the fluate, and minute traces of iron and lead: these two metals I detected, by evaporating the nitric solu-. tion to dryness, heating it to redness, and then dissolving the residue in muriatic acid. The co- lour of the solution shewed the presence of iron, and a few needleform crystals of muriate of lead were deposited after the solution had stood for some days. The fluate which I used, had been dug out of a lead-mine in Northumberland, and small crystals of sulphuret of lead were here and. there to be seen in it, Probably some one of. these had escaped my attention, and, by. being mixed with the fluate which I used, occasioned the appearance of the lead, which, however, did not amount to sooth part of the salt, and. therefore could not occasion any sensible error in the sub- sequent analysis. Io ANALYSIS OF FLUOR-SPAR. I first tried to decompose the fluate of lime, by fusing it with twice its weight of carbonate of potash in a platinum crucible. Only a small por- tion of the fluate was decomposed. I was, there- fore, obliged to repeat the fusions very often, washing off the alkali after each operation, by means of water, and then dissolving the carbonate of lime formed, in muriatic acid. Fatigued with the tediousness of this method, and despairing of an accurate result from the great number of suc- © cessive solutions, I abandoned it altogether, and adopted the following method, much more expe- ditious and equally precise. , | From a mass of fluor-spar which I had ascer- tained to contain no sensible portion of foreign matter, I separated 100 grains, which I reduced to powder, and digested for some hours in a plati- num crucible, with rather more than an ounce of pure concentrated sulphuric acid. The mixture was then evaporated to dryness, and the crucible exposed for an hour to a strong heat, in a wind furnace. ‘To ensure the complete decomposition of the fluor, the mass was reduced to powder, and treated a second time in the same manner with another ounce of sulphuric acid. The residue, which was white with a slight shade of red, prov- ed, on examination, to be pure sulphate of lime. It weighed 156.6 grains. | ~ Now, it has been ascertained by the most care- ful experiments, that sulphate of lime thus vio-— ANALYSIS OF FLUOR-SPAR. if lently heated, contains 43 per cent. of lime. Of consequence, the whole quantity of lime in 156.6 grains of sulphate is 67.34 grains. ‘This is obvi- ously the whole lime contained in 100 grains of fluor-spar ; and since that mineral contains no sen- sible portion of water, the remainder of the 100 must -be fluoric acid. Hence fluate of lime is conmpised of,. | Lime - - 67.34 Fluoric acid rr oi 100.00 This result differs very materially from the ana- lysis alluded to in the beginning of this paper, which makes the amount of the acid in the same weight of spar, only 16 grains, and the lime 57 grains ; the remaining 27 grains being considered as water. But, from the care with which my expe- riment was conducted, I flatter myself that the result which it exhibits is very near the truth *, * Since the preceding paper was reall: I have seen an analysis of fluor-spar by Klaproth, in the 4th | volume of his Beitrige, conducted in a very. different , manner from mine, but leading to almost the very same result. He found fluate-of lime composed of 673 lime, and 323 acid,—quantities which coincide with mine, within less than 1.per cent. Nov. 1809. \ III. On the Asclepiadeea, a Natural Order of Plants separated from the Apocinee of Jussieu.’ By Rosert Brown, Lib. Lin. Soc. (Read 4th November 1809. ) Tue vast additions to the number of species which botany is constantly receiving, while they make a natural arrangement absolutely necessary to the general botanist, render it at the same time pro- portionally difficult. For though there are still many tribes of plants easily distinguishable even by a superficial observer, yet there are others, that hitherto have been thought abundantly distinct, which can no longer be circumscribed by means of characters taken from their organs of reproduc- tion, This is perhaps now the case with the RUBIACEE and APOCINEs of Jussieu. It is true, that to an experienced observer, it may still be practicable to refer the greater part, ‘perhaps the is of these ¢ plants to their proper places in a Pt EP ON THE ASCLEPIADE. I3 ‘natural series; but it is, I apprehend, no longer so, to distinguish the two orders by definitions derived from the usual source. Such at least is the opinion I have been led to form from all that I have seen published respecting them, as well as from that I have lately had an opportunity of ob- serving in New Holland. _As, however, both these families are already too extensive, it becomes expedient rather to at- tempt their subdivision into smaller groups, which may possibly admit of more accurate limitation, than to unite them into one vast order, the distinguishing characters of which, could they be obtained, must probably be extremely vague, and clogged with numerous exceptions. Such a sub- division, it seems to me, may be easily made of the Apocinee, by employing a character at once obvious and important, and which while it pre- serves the natural series unbroken, has the addi- tional advantage of dividing the order into two nearly equal parts. To one of these which in- cludes the genus Apocynum, the name of Apo- cineze will of course remain. The consideration of the other, which from one of its most remarkable genera, I propose naming ASCLEPIADE# forms the chief subject of the following essay ; but the more completely to illustrate it, I have subjoined new, and I trust amended characters of the genera of the most nearly related section of the Apocinez strictly so called. The singular structure of the stamina m4 ON THE ASCLEPIADEX. ‘inthe Asclepiadex, has attracted the attention of botanists since the days of Tourneforte : it is there- fore not a little remarkable; that two opposite - opinions should still be held even respecting the origin of these parts, and that between these opinions botanists should be almost equally di- vided. it In a paper which was some time ago read to the Linnean Society of London, I had occasion, in inculcating the necessity of examining the parts ' of the flower before expansion, to advert to this tribe of plants; and I there entered at some length, both into the opinions generally received respecting their male organs, and also into that which I had deduced from an examination of these parts before the opening of the corolla: And being unwilling to repeat now, what I then stated, I shall content myself with referring to the figures - and descriptions published by Jacquin in the first volume of his “ Miscellanea Austriaca,’’ which give a correct idea of the state of the organs after ex- pansion ; andonlyadd the observations I have made on one species of the family, the Asclepias Syriaca, in the earlier stages of the flower. The flower-bud of this plant I first examined, while the unexpanded corolla was yet green and considerably shorter than the calyx. At this period, the gland-like bodies which afterwards oc- cupy the angles of the stigma were absolutely invisible ; the furrows of its angles were extremely slight, and, like the body of the stigma, green ; the ) eee , et ee ON. THE ASGLEPIADEA. 15 anthere; however, were distinctly formed, easily separable from the stigma, and their cells, which were absolutely shut, were filled with a turbid fluid, the parts of which did not so cohere as to separate in a'mass; of the cuculli, which in the expanded flower are so remarkable, and constitute the essential character of the genus, there was no appearance. — " In the next stage sabinittudlits examination, where the corolla nearly equalled the calyx in length, the gland-like bodies of the stigma were become visible, and consisted of two nearly filiform, light brown, parallel, contiguous and membrana- ceous substances, secreted by the sides of the fur- row, which was now somewhat deeper: Instead of the filiform processes, a gelatinous matter oc- cupied an obliquely descending depression pro- ceeding from towards the base of each side of the angular furrow. In a somewhat more advanced stage, the membranes which afterwards become the glands of the stigma, were found to be linear, closely ap- ‘proximated, and to adhere at their upper extremity. At the same time the gelatinous substance in the oblique depression, had acquired a nearly mem- branaceous texture and a light brown colour, and on separating the gland from its furrow, which was then practicable, this membrane fol- lowed it, At this period, too, the contents of each cell of the anthera had acquired a certain degree of solidity, a determinate form, and were 16 ON THE ASCLEPIADE. separable from the cell in one mass; the cuculli were also observable, but still very small and. green, nearly scutelliform, having a central papilla, the rudiment of the future horn-like process. Immediately previous to the bursting of the cells of the antherz, which takes place a little before the expansion of the corolla, the cuculli are completely formed, and between each, a pair of minute, light green fleshy teeth are observable, the single teeth of each pair being divided from each other by the descending ala of the anther. The glands of the stigma have acquired a form between ellipti- cal and rhomboidal, a cartilaginous texture, and a brownish-black colour; they are easily separable from the secreting furrow, and on their under surface there is no appearance of a suture, or any indication of their having originally consisted of two distinct parts: Along with them separate also the descending processes, which are compressed, membranous, and light brown; their extremity, which is still unconnected, being more gelatinous but not perceptibly thickened. The pollen has acquired the yellow colour and the degree of consistence which it afterwards retains. On the bursting of the cells, the gelatinous extre- mity of each descending process becomes firmly | united with the upper attenuated end of the cor- responding mass of pollen. ‘he parts are then in that condition in which they have been common- ly examined, and are exhibited in the figures of Jacquin, who having seen them only in this state, ON THE ASCLEPIADES. 27 naturally considered these plants as truly gynan- drous, : regarding the masses of pollen as the an- there, originating in the glands of the stigma, and ‘merely immersed in the open cells of the genuine . anther, which he calls antheriferous sacs; an opinion in which he has been followed by Rott- boell, Koellreuter, Cavanilles, Smith, and Des- fontaines. ‘The conclusion to be drawn from, the observations now detailed, is sufficiently obvi- ous; but it is necessary to remark, that these ob- servations do not entirely apply to all the plants which I have referred to the Asclepiadez, some of them, especially Periploca, having a granular pol- len, applied. in a very different manner to the glands of the stigma: they all, however, agree in having pollen coalescing into masses, which are fixed or applied to processes of the stigma, in a determinate manner ; and this 1s, in fact, the essen- tial character of the order. Dr Smith, in the se- cond edition of his valuable “ Introduction to Bota- ny,’’ has noticed my opinion on this subject; but, probably from an indistinctness in the communi- cation, which took place in conversation, has stated it in a manner somewhat different from what I in- tended to convey to him: For, according to his statement, the pollen is projected on the stigma. ~The term projection, however, seems to imply some degree of impetus, and at the same time pre- sents the idea of something indeterminate respect- ing the part to which the body so projected may B a 18 “ON THE ASCLEPIADEZs be applied. But nothing can. be more constant than the manner in which the pollen is attached to. the processes of the stigma in each species ; and as considerable differences in this respect take place in various species, I have with advantage employed these in the new generic divisions of the order which I have attempted to establish, anid to which I now proceed. As I have every where mentioned they sources from which my knowledge both of genera and species is derived, it becomes unnecessary particu- larly to notice here the extent of my obligations to the unrivalled Herbarium of Sir Joszepu Banks, who, with his accustomed liberality, has permit- ted me to examine, and, where necessary, to dis- sect such specimens as seemed. to have any pecu- liarity of structure, and has thus enabled me to found my genera on a more satisfactory induction than I could have done in any other part of the world. : ,, ie. Se f Y 2 Pe) en 4 4) ASCLEPIADES. a I. POLLINIS MASSE (10-20) CEREACEM, LAVES, nec in granulis separande. A. CORPUSCULA STIGMATIS (5) SULCO LONGITUDINALI BIPARTIBILIA, juxta basin, v. a. PoLninis MASS£ ERECTE V. conniventes, stigmati incumbentes : basi, v. infra medium lateris, affix. + Anthere apice simplices, nec membrana terminate. ® Columna frutificationis tubo corollz inclusa, Tubus stamineus extus appendiculatus. A 1. Corolle tubus e basi ventricosa cylindraceus : limbi Spartiti lacinie ligulares, conniventes, _ Ee cela ee if 9, Corolla campanulata, limbo 10fido, laciniis accessoriis nanis. Corona staminea oplex; exterior Sfida laciniis bifidis ; znterzor 5phylla, eee §, Corolla campanulata, dfida. Corona staminea simplex, 5phylla, foliolis dorso dentato-cristatis: « oa5ee ut « oe te @iemmeners ae * se oS S 2* Columna fruttificationis exserta v. semi-exserta. ‘ ]. Corona staminea duplex: (utriusque figura varia) ; interior (cujus foliola antheris opposita) quandoque obsoleta. lin a 2, Corona staminea simplex, 10phylla; foliolis 5, antheris oppositis, indivisis, obtusis, 5 reliquis bipartitis, acutis. Masse pollinis utroque margine Ee Dice Glo mat §. Corona staminea simplex, Sloba, lobis antheris alternantibus ! denticulis nanis quandoque interjeCiis. Masse pollinis medio affixee, stigmati incumbentes. -. - ++ = ‘4, Corona staminea nulla: Corolle subrotate faux squamis 5 coronata. Masse pollinis basi affixe, apice coarétato pellucida »-++s1ee+ssserre errr? Corona staminea 2plex, interioris foliola lobis exterioris opposita. + - + ++ Anthere membrana terminate. + Tubus stamineus extus appendiculatus. * Corona staminea (simplex, 5phylla), foliolis depressis, carnosis. Corolla rotata. 1. Coron foliola angulo interiori producto in dentem anther jnmcumbentem ..++++e++ee ees = = Q. Corone foliola angulo interiori simplici edentulo.. + ~~ ++ s+ +++eeeet errr rerrrecs #* Corona staminea (sphylla), foliolis compressis. 1. Coronz foliola apice indivisa, intus edentula......- 8. Corone foliola apice indivisa, intus lacinula autta. 3. Corone foliola bifida, laciniis apice recurvis. »..- - i{ Tubus stamineus extus inappendiculatus. J. Semina comosa, Folliculi graciles, leves. ®. Semina calva, marginata. Folliculi ventricosi, carnosi. b. PoLirnis MASSE TRANSVERSZ, extremitate exteriore (respectu loculi transversim dehiscentis) aflixe, stigmate occultate. }. Semina comosa. Folliculi seepius costati v. muricati. (Caulis volubilis). . . ®. Semina calva, crenata. (Caulis erectus). neberd ce. Porninis MASSE PENDULZ, apice v. supra medium lateris aflixe. Si ayus’ «POUR SEERA emirare? (nynayiay es) sLieu.e) s) 0) ei pel erien.e Seiislielialied =\telinitell).s) >) lelist eile!» (elle) = PEE rCeD CoosceD. 60 060 0 6° GLO ee DOOR Some Gorolla urceolata, fauce coronata, nunc edentula. . .. 121+ ee eee ee eee eee ee eee ee ey te Corolla subrotata, fauce edentula. . Corona staminea Iphylla, lobata. Ssouce tooo oD ooo boo SEDECRONOE CROC ECT CRON MCEONOECRONOECECETS Ded Ger.G.d-0 00 0) 0 OS Ceb. DONC ONCEI SCH St Stir asa Anthere membrana terminate. + Tubns stamineus appendiculatus. + Corona staminea simplex, Sphylla, foliolis antheris oppositis, lacinulis 5 nanis in eadem serie quandoque interjettis. * Corolla 5partita reflexa. Corone foliola subcucullata, apice tubi filamentorum imposita. }. Corone foliola cucullata, e fundo exserentia lacinulam corniformem. Folliculi graciles, leves. . . 2. s+ sees eee eee te ee ee ee te ee we , ©, Corone foliola subcucullata, utrinque unidentata, absque lacinula interiori. Folliculi inflati, ramentacei. . 2 1 s+ eee ses ee eee se ees see vane %% Corolla rotata, non reflexa. Coronz foliola acuta v. acuminata, intus edentula. . «es ee. eee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee es *** Corolle subcampanulate tubus ventricosus. «- Columna fruétificationis exserta. Masse pollinis compresse. 1. Coronz foliola carnosa, obtusa, simplicia, denticulis 5 alternantibus nanis. 2. Coronz foliola longitudinaliter adnata, aversa, basi recurva. 8. Coronz foliola carnosa, obtusa, soluta. Masse pollinis curvature processuum dein adscendentium affixe. ~ : f. Columna fruftificationis inclusa. Mass pollinis yentricosz. 1. Corolla campanulata. Coronz foliola e basi dilatata subulata, intus simplicia. 8. Corolla urceolata, Coronz foliola lacinula interiori parallela auéta. Folliculi ventricosi, ramentaceil. ..»+-.+-+.+.--+e- Holliculi ventricosi, lecvess anal tem aed cal em eine) «] ited st een eet > Be eee basi connata, supra distinga. Anthere cohzrentes, imberbes. Masse pollinis 4, corpusculo singulo aflixe. Corolla rotata a ilamenta longiradinaliter distinéta. Anthera coherentes, barbate. Massa pollinis 1, corpusculo singulo affixa. Corolla rotata squamis fauci : rist ati RS 5 Ves ae eae ec < xa. 7 x D0 Anthere imberbes. Masse pollinis 4, corpusculo singulo afixe. Corolla hypocrateriformis -. is aristatis Corolla rotata. . 5. Filamenta longitadinaliter distincta. [To front p, 19. latere utrinque exserentia processum, Massam Pollinis unicam, affigentem. . » CEROPFGIA. foliolis laciniis exterioris oppositis. Hurrnra. . » PIARANTHUS. Masse pollinis altero margine cartilagineo-pellucido. STAPELIA. -« . CagaLtbuma. . . MrcrostEMMa. . . LEPTADENIA. . . Hoya. . . TYLorHORA. . » MarsDENIA. . » PERGULARIA. . Discuipia. . GYMNEMA. + SARCOLOBUS. . . GonoLogus. .. « Matera. . . ASCLEPIAS. - » GoMPHOGARPUS. . » OxysTELMA. « . NYSMALOBIUM. . » CaLoTRoris. . « OXYPETALUM. . . Kanani. . . DirpLoLeris. . . HoLostEMMA: . CynancHuM. . METAPLEXIS: . . Drvassa. - . DoEmMta. - . « SARCOSTEMMA.. .. Hustecra. BP etjadisiteaie) el «)ledtwiel int et sis ops ee, ci oe, eo VR RAG TON NAN . » Microtoma. . . ASTEPHANUS.. + + SECAMONE. corpusculi singuli stigmatis, applicatz. . . HEMIDEsmus. . . Pertpioca. SUPE DT ee eet Ter eee ee eveeeeessreteesscesesesess GYMNANTHERA. \ gs 1m cal he m ! ania Bi a ies “ae : : ERTS we 8) AE PRT erin * Macny, eet ee n i FRR STERIL ae 8 ¢ i we a7 Ona oss @N THE ASCLEPIADEA. 19 ASCLEPIADE. ‘Contortarum genera, Linn. Apocinearum genera, Fuss. Apocynarum genera, Adaus. CaLyx quinquedivisus, persistens. _ - Corotza monopetala, hypogyna, quinqueloba, re- gularis, sestivatione imbricata, rarissime val- vata, decidua. STAMINA 5, epipetala, laciniis limbi alternantia. Filamenta szepius connata. Anthere bilocu- lares, septisve semicompletis, nunc subquadri- loculares. Pollen ad dehiscentiam antherarum coalescens, in massas numero loculorum, rarius- ve per paria confluentes, et geminatim, v. qua- ternatim, v. solitarie processubus quinque stig- matis affixas. Ovaria2. Styli 2, arcté approximati, sepe bre- vissimi. Stigma ambobus commune, dilatatum, pentagonum, angulis corpusculiferis. Fouuicui 2; altero nunc abortiente. Placenta suture intus applicata, demum libera. SEMINA numerosa, imbricata, pendula, ad umbi- licum sepissimé comosa. Albumen tenue. B 2 20 ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. Embryo dicotyledoneus, rectus. Cotyledones foliaceee. Radicula supera. Plumula incon- spicua. Frutices, rariisve Herbe, utplurimum lactescen- tes et volubiles. Folia integra, opposita, quandoque alterna v. verticillata, ciliis inter- petiolaribus loco stipularum, szepius instructa. Flores subumbellati, fasciculati, v. racemosi, - interpetiolares. | ON THE ASCLEPIADEX. 2X I. AScLeEPIADEE VERE. Masse Pollinis 10, leves, per paria, (diversis'an- theris pertinentia), affixe stigmatis corpus- culis, sulco longitudinali, bipartibilibus.. Fila- ‘'menta connata, extus sepius appendiculata. CEROPEGIA. [Ceropegie plereque, Linn. Cuar. Corolla tubo e basi ventricosd cylin- draceo ; limbi laciniis ligularibus. | — Columna fructificationis inclusa. Corona staminea duplex, exterior abbreviata, 5- loba: interior 5phylla, foliolis ligularibus, indivisis, lobis exterioris oppositis. Anthere apice simplices. : _ Masse pollinis erect, basi affix, marginibus — simplicibus. Stigma muticum. Follicult cylindracei, leves. Semina comosa. iden is. Herbe glabre, volubiles. Radice tube- rosa, Umbelle interpetiolares, nunc pauci- floree. Parria. India Orientalis. Oxss. To this genus belong C. Candelabrum, Linn, “C. biflora, Linn.; C. tuberosa, bulbosa, juncea, acuminata, of Roxburgh, and two undescribed species, BA. ~ 22 ON THE ASCLEPIADE Zs HUERNIA.... ._.. [Stapelie species, Linn. | Fuss. Masson. Cuar. Corolla: campanulata,! limbo decemfido, © laciniis accessors. nanis, dentiformibus.. - Golumna Sructificationis, inclusa. | Corona staminea duplex ; exterior aiineiadn laciniis bifidis: interior sphylla, foliolis e basi 'gibbosa subulatis, indivisis, laciniis ex- __., terioris alternantibus. Anthere apice simplices. Masse pollinis erecte, basi affixe, altero mar- Sipe cartilagineo- pellucido. _ Stigma muticum. ' Folliculi subcylindracei, leves. Semina comosa. eersus Stapeliz. | Patria. Africa. Australis. Ozs. The whole of the third section of Stapelia in Willdenow’s edition of the “‘ Species. Planta- rum,”’ probably belongs to. this genus; but I have only had:an opportunity of:examining SS: cam- panulata, venusta, and guttata, from which the character is formed. I have named the genus in memory of Justus Heurnius, one of the ear- lest collectors of Cape plants, and from whose. drawings the first account of Stapelia was » taken. : wid THE ASCLEPIADEZ. 23 PLAR ANTHUS. [Stapelize sp. Masson, Cuar. Corolla campanulata, sfida, carnosa. Columna fructificationis inclusa. ‘Corona staminea simplex, sphylla, foliolis dorso dentatis. Anther@ apice simplices. - ) nas ssa@ pollinis erectz, basi affixe, altero mar- - gine cartilagineo-pellucido. _ Stigma mnuticum. Fidelis jek care * Hasirus Stapeliz. Vien) Ae Patria. Africa Australis. Ozs. The want of the external corona renders it necessary ‘to separate from Stapelia and Huer- ~ nia} this genus ; of which the only two certain 1 species are Stapelia punctata and pulla of Mas- son; of both these I have examined specimens ‘collected by Masson, and preserved in spirits, in “the collection of Sir Joseph Banks. STAPELIA. cy _ [Stapelize plures, Linn. et Mass. Cuar. Corolla rotata, 5fida, carnosa. Columna fructificationis exserta. Corona staminea duplex, utraque in vatiis varia 3° interior quandoque obsoleta. E aleee apice simplices. kd) : Masse pollinis basi affix, altero mar gine carti= lagineo- pellucido. Stigma. muticum. Folliculi sabcylinaracei, lazves. Semina comosae B 4 a4 | ON THE ASCLEPIADES. = Hasitus. ‘Plante carnose, aphylle, angulate, seepe tuberculate. Flores, utplurimum spe- ciosi, odore nauseoso, stercorario. Patria. Africa Australis, presertim in planitiis ~ desertis, argillaceis, Karroo nuncupatis. se The essential character of this extensive and singular genus, consists, according to Lin- neus and all. subsequent botanists, in the double corona. But I have already shewn, that certain plants that have been referred to it, and which entirely accord in habit, have a corona of a single series; and it will hereafter appear, that other, and very different genera, agree with Stapelia in this part of .its structure. The genus, even as it is here limited, is capa- ble of further subdivision ; and I have little doubt, that when the species become better known, such a subdivision will be found ex- pedient, and probably from characters like the following, by which, in the mean time, it may be disposed into very natural sections. I, Corona exterior 5phylla, foliolis indivisis. ‘Stapelia hirsuta, Linn. sororia, Mass. . vetula, Mass. ambigua, Mass. asterias, Mass. glan- dnlitera, Mass. stellaris, Jaeg. ined. Pid Corona exterior 5partita, laciniis bifidis. Stapelia revoluta, Mass. pedunculata, Mass. ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. 25: verrucosa, Mass. mixta, Mass. -variegata, | Linn. lepida, Jacq. ined NAO, maall III. Corona exterior iphylla, indivisa vel ciliato- multifida, Be hig hinn) Stapelia articulata, Hort. Kew. et Mass. _gemi- nata, Mass., alizque inedite, i in Museo Bank- siano, spit. vin. asservate. CARALLUMA. Cuar. Corolla sek, Beh 5fida. Columna fructificationis exserta. | Corona staminea simplici serie tophylla; folio- lis quinque antheris oppositis indivisis ; reli- quis bipartitis, subulatis. _ Antbere apice simplices. Masse pollinis erecte, basi affixe, marginibus simplicibus. _ Stigma muticum.. : , Folliculi graciles, leves. Semina comosa. Hasitus feré Stapeliz. Patria. India Orientalis. Oss. This genus is the Stapelia adscendens of Roxburgh, the Gar-allum of the Telingas. MICROSTEMMA. _ Cuar. Corolla rotata, 5fida. - Golumna fructificationis exserta. Gorona staminea monophylla, carnosa, 5loba, le~ bis cum antheris alternantibus. 26: ON THE ASCLEPIADEA.! . Anthere apice oe Masse pollinis medio lateri inserte, tiga adi in- .cumbentes. ‘Stigma muticum. Folliculi graciles, leves. Semina comosa.. Hasitus. Herba glabra, erecta. Radix tuberosa. Caulis intra simplex, foliis minutis ; 5 supra ra- mosus, foliis oppositis linearibus. Umbella la- terales et terminales, subsessiles. Corolle ni- gro-purpurez intus barbate. © a Patria. Nova Hollandia tropica. HOY A. CHAR. Corolla: rotata, 5fida. Corona staminea. 5phylla, foliolis depressis, car- nosis, angulo interiore producto’ in’ oe antherz incumbentem. Anthere membrana terminate. SEE Masse pollinis basi affixee, conniventes, compres~ Se. Stigma depressum, papilla obtusa. Folliculi leves. Semina‘€omosa. ‘Hasitus. Caulis suffruticosus, volubilis,’ v. de- cumbens. folia opposita, carnosa, v. mem- branacea. Umbella interpetiolares, multiflore. Patria. India Orientalis, China, et Nova Hol- landia tropica. | Ozs. I have named this genus in honour of Mr Tuomas Hoy, whose merits as‘an ‘intelligent ; ON THE ASCLEPIADEX,) Py | and successful cultivator, have been long known to the botanists of this country. Ihave ad- ded specific characters.of the only two species with which I am acquainted; ‘but Hoya car- nosa probably: includes: several species, which can only be determined. from. living. speci- its «7, it 2S, ; also to be. considered. as the type of the genus, Hoya viridiflora differing in some degree in the structure of its ROTOR and considerably in habit. “ti H. carnosa, foliis ovali- oblongis carnosis, corol- lis barbatis, corone foliolis subtus sulcatis ! . Asclepias carnosa, Lian, suppl. 170. Murr. syst. veg. ed. 14. p. 260. Willd. sp. pl. 1. p. 1264. Pers. syn. i. p. 275. Sims in bot. magz. t.. 788. Smith, exot. Bote 2. p. 21. t. 70+ Stapelia Chinensis, Loum. Cochin. 1. p. 205. fide specim. ab auctore missi in Herb. Banks. Has. In Asie tropice variis regionibus, etiam in Nova Hollandia (ubi et in hort. Angl. v.v.) _ 2. H. viridiflora, foliis ovatis acuminatis mem- branaceis corollisque glabris, corone foliolis exsulcis. Asclepias volubilis, Linn. suppl. 140*. Willd. sp. pl. I. p. 1269. Pers. syn. 1. p. 276. Watta-haka-codi, Rheed. Matlab. 9. p.25.t. 15. | Has. Inter frutices in nemorosis mi eek G. ’ Keenig, in Herb. Banks. (ubi v. s.) - 28 ON THE ASCLEPIADE ZX: TYLOPHORA. Cuar. Corolla rotata, 5partita. Gorona staminea sphylla, foliolis depressis, car- nosis, angulo interiori simplici edentulo, | | - Anthere membrana terminate. Massa pollinis erecte, basi affixce, marginibus simplicibus. 2 Stigma muticum. Folliculi leves. Semina comosa. Hasitus. Herbe v. suffrutices volubiles. Folia opposita, membranacea, plana. Umbelle inter- petiolares. Flores utplurimum parvi. Patria. Nova Hollandia, presertim intra tro- picum, sed usque, ad grad. 33. lat. aust, India Orientalis, et Africa zquinoctialis. Octo spe- cles nobis cognite, quarum nulle adhucdum editze sunt. : MARSDENIA. Cuar. Corolla urceolata, 5fida, nunc subrotata. Corona staminea sphylla, foliolis compressis, in- divisis, intus edentulis. Anthere membrana terminate. _ Masse pollinis erecte, basi affixee. Folliculi leves. Semina comosa. — e Hasirus. Suffrutices sepius volubiles. ola op- posita, latiuscula, plana. Cyme, nunc Thyrsi, interpetiolares. Stigma sepius muticum, quandoque rostratum, rostro indiviso vel bifido. ON THE ASCLEPIADES. 29 Patria: India Orientalis et Nova Hollandia ; ra- -ortus in America Meridionali, et Syria. Ozs. This genus differs from Pergularia, chiefly in the want of the i inner laciniz of the corona: “it is ‘therefore an arbitrary separation, and — _ made principally to obtain clearer characters for both. ‘The two species, with an elongated stigma, are perhaps not truly of this genus, but if separated from it, must form each a di- stinct genus. | It is named in honour of Witt1am MarspDEN, Esq; F.R.5S., late Secretary to the Admiralty, and author of a very judicious and learned “« History of Sumatra,’’ in which, though it is evident that he has not made botany his par- ticular study, he has had the merit of turning the attention of botanists to several valuable plants, among others, to the Camphor-Tree: of Sumatra, and to a species of this genus, Mars- denia tinctoria, said to afiord the best indigo in that island. + Stigma muticum. Marsdeniz vere. a. M. velutina, caule volubili, foliis cordatis laté ovatis acuminatis tomentosis mollibus, cymis -umbelliformibus, fauce nuda. . Has. In Nova Holiandia, intra tropicum, (ubi ve v) 80 ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. 2. ML tinctoria, caule volubili, foliis cordatis: ovato- oblongis acuminatis glabriusculis basi anticé " glandulosis, thyrsis lateralibus, fauce, barbata. Tarram akkar. Mars. Sumat. 78. yd u'8 Has. In insula Sumatra. (v. s. in Herb. Banks, } 3. M. viridifora, caule volubili, foliis oblongo- ~ lanceolatis glabriusculis basi obtusa, tubo in- tus villosiusculo. Haz. In Nova Hollandia, intra tropicum, (ubi v.v.) 4. M. clausa, caule volubili, foliis lanceolatis utrinque acutis glabris: supra parum rugosis, fauce densé barbata. | Haz. In Jamaica. Swartz. (in Herb. Banks. ubi v. s.) | 5. M. suaveolens, caule suberecto, foliis ovali-lan- -ceolatis glabris aveniis, tubo ventricoso, fauce : barbata. | Has. In Nova Hollandia, extra tropicum, (ubi » V. Vv.) 6. M. cinerascens, caule erecto, foliis ovatis obtu- siusculis venosis pube rara conspersis, petio- lis semuncialibus, corollis subrotatis. Has. In Nova Hollandia, intra tropicum, (ubi Ve V.) ON THE ASCLEPIADE. ~ 3t + + Stagma rostratum. y. M. erecta, caule erecto, foliis cordatis ovatis acutis, cymis umbelliformibus, limbi laciniis imberbibus tubo 4-5ies longioribus. iiyrisnichin erectum, Linn. 8. M. a an aie volubili, Shi: ovatis tor. datis acuminatis glabris, umbellis multifloris, limbo barbato. - Has. In Nova -Hollandia extra tropicum, (ubi vV. Ve) PERGULARIA. [Pergulariz species, Zinn. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis, tubo urceolato. Corona staminea sphylla, foliolis compressis apice indivisis, intus lacinula auctis. Anthere membrana terminate. | Masse pollinis erectz, basi affixe. Stigma muticum. Follicult ventricosi, leves. Semina comosa. Hasitus. Plante volubiles. fFo/ta latiuscula, membranacea. Cyme interpetiolares. Flores flavescentes, odoratissim1. Patria ignota: in China et India Orientali ob _ flores suaveolentes culta. Ozs. Of this genus the only certain species are Pergularia odoratissima, Roxb. et Smith, and ‘P. minor, And. Repos. 160. Pergularia purpurea, Vahl. and Japonica, Thunb. may belong to it. P. edulis of Thunberg, prod. cap. 82 ON THE ASCLEPIADER. > is probably very different. When Linnzus established this: ‘genus in his Mantissa, he certainly meant his character to apply td Pergularia glabra, of which he had a speci- — men in his herbarium, and which is the Flos Pergulanus of Rumphius ; but unfortunately this plant does not belong to the order of Asclepiadex, but to that section of Apocinez of which I shall hereafter treat. The charac- ter of Linnzus was no doubt chiefly taken from a plant of P. odoratissima, that had flowered in the Upsal Garden, and which he confound- ed with the Asclepias cordata of Forskael, an error long since pointed out by Dr Smith in his very accurate and satisfactory account of Pergularia odoratissima, : DISCHIDIA. Cuar. Corolla urceolata, 5fida. Corona staminea sphylla, foliolis bifidis, laciniis subulatis, patentibus, apice recurvis. Anthere mernbrana terminate. Masse pollinis erecte, basi affixe. Stigma muticum, Foliicult leves. Semina comosa. Hasirus. Herba in arboribus parasitica, depen- dens, perennis, lactescens, farina alba tota conspersa. Caulis ad genicula radicans. Folia opposita, subrotunda, crassa, carnosa. Flores parvi, subumbellati, ON THE ASCLEPIADEA. . 132 Patria. India Orientalis, presertim Insule ‘Moluccane, necnon Nova Hollandia, ubi | prope Endeavour River detexit L//ust. Banks. GYMNEMA. Cuar. Corolla suburceolata 5fida. Fauce sepe coronata, squamulis denticulisve 5, sinubus insertis. Corona staminea nulla. Anthere membrana terminate. — Masse pollinis erectze, basi affixe. Folicult graciles, leves. Semina comosa. Hasirus. Suffrutices sepius volubiles. Folia opposita, membranacea, plana. Umbelle in- terpetiolares, cymose. Patria. India Orientalis, Nova Hollandia tropica, et Africa equinoctialis. | Oss. Of this genus I have examined four species, Two ofthese are unpublished plants ; the third is Asclepias lactifera Linn., of which there is no specimen in the Linnean Herbarium; it - therefore rests entirely upon Hermann’s speci- mens, which, though collected 140 years ago, were by maceration in water so far recovered, as to enable me with certainty to determine its genus. The fourth is Periploca sylvestris, Willd, sp. pl. 1. p. 1252. G “aes 34 “ON THE ASCLEPIADEA. ‘ LEPTADENTA. Cuar. Corolla subrotata, zubo brevi, fauce coro- nata, squamis 5 sinubus impositis: limbo bar- bato, zstivatione valvata. | Corona staminea nulla. Anthere \libere, apice simplices. Masse pollinis erecte, basi affixe, es coarc- tato pellucido ! Stigma muticum. Folliculi’. 2." . Hazitus. Herbe? perennes? volubiles, tomen- to imipalpabili, pulvereo, cinerascentes. ‘Folia plana, opposita. Umbelle interpetiolares, quandoque cymose: Corpuscula stigmatis minuta. Patria. India Orientals, Africa z-quinoctialis et. septentrionalis. | Os. Of this genus I have examined three species in the Banksian Herbarium, none of which are as yet described, though one of them was collected by Forskael ; it is unnamed, however, and does not correspond with any of si de- scriptions. ; SARCOLOBUS. Cuar. Corolla subrotata, sfida. Fauce nuda. Corona staminea nulla. | Anthere membrana terminate. SE A A ON THE Suances ©. cM : 35 Masse pollinis erecta, basi affixee. . Stigma muticum. Folliculi ventricosi, carnosi. Semina marginata ! Hasitus. Frutex volubilis, glaber.. Folia op- posita, latiuscula. Umbelle interpetiolares, multiflore. Patria. Java; in Prince’s Island, prope Bataviam, detexit Ilust. Banks. GONOLOBUS. [Richard ? in Mich. Fl. Bor. : _ Amer. Cynanchi species, Linn, Facg. Cuar. Corolla subrotata, spartita. Corona staminea scutelliformis, lobata. Anthere transversim’ dehiscentes, \ membrana terminate. cer er | Masse pollinis extremitati exteriori respectu loculi affixze, stigmate tectz. : Stigma planiusculo-depressum. , Folliculi ventricosi, subcostati. Semina comosa. Hasitus. Suffrutices volubiles, Folia opposita latiuscula. Umbelle interpetiolares. Parria. America, presertim intra tropicos. Ozs. Cynanchum maritimum Linn, suberosum Linn. crispiflorum Hort. Kew. belong to this genus; and I suppose also C. planiflorum, grandi- florum, restratum, nigrum, racemosum, Caroli- — nense, obliquum, hirtum, prostratum, and un-. Ce hone 36 | ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. dulatum of Willdenow’s Spec. Plant.: these, however, I have not determined, and the whole genus requires to be re-examined. MATELEA. [4ubl. Gujan. tab. 109. Hostea., | Willd. sp. pl. 1. P- 1274. Car. Corolla rotata, 5partita. Corona staminea scutelliformis, lobata. Anthere transversim dehiscentes, membrana terminate. | : Masse pollinis extremitate exteriore respect loculi affixee, stig mate tectee. Stigma planiusculo-depressum. | Folliculi ventricosi, costati. Semina calva. ( dubl. ) f Hasitrus. Frutex erectus. Folia opposita, basi supra biglandulosa. Fores racemosi, laterales. Patria. America meridionalis, | ASCLEPIAS. F Asclapdudie sp. Linn. Cuar, Corolla spartita, reflexa. = Corona summo tubo filamentorum ‘aie 5- phylla, foliolis cucullatis, e fundo exserenti- bus processum aversum corniformem. — Anthere membrana terminate. | Mass@ pollinis compresse, apice attenuato af- fixe, pendule. | Stigma depressum, muticum. Folliculi leves. | Semina comosa. ON THE ASCLEPIADES. 34 Hasitus. Herbe erecte. Folia opposita, nunc alterna! vel verticillata. Umbelle interpetio- dares. | Patria. America Septentrionalis. Ozs. The species of this genus which I have examined, are 4. Syriaca, (most improperly so called, as it is a native of North America only), ameena, purpurescans, variegata, curassavica, nivea, elevata, parviflora, incarnata, decumbens, verticillata, tuberosa, of Willdenow’s Spec. Plant., and some unpublished species in the Banksian Herbarium ; and there can be little doubt that 4. pulchra, citrifolia, Mexicana, linaria, rubra, and all the species of Michaux, belong to it. : : GOMPHOCARPUS. __[Asclepiadis sp. Linn. Cuar. Corolla 5partita, reflexa. Corona summo tubo filamentorum imposita, 5- phylla, foliolis cucullatis utrinque unidenta- tis, intus simplicibus. _ Antherae membrana terminate. Masse pollinis compress, apice attenuato af fixe, pendule. } Stigma depressum, muticum. Folliculi ventricosi, spinis innocuis, echinati, Semina comosa. ve 3 38 ON THE ASCLEPIADES. Hasitus. Frutices v. suffrutices erectez. Folia opposita, margine spe revolute. Umbella interpetiolares, - : Patria. Africa Australis. Oss. Asclepias arborescens, fruticosa and setosa, are the three certain species of this genus; but crispa has probably the same structure. The flowers I have examined, but have not seen the fruit. A. pubescens ought probably to be alto- gether omitted ; for, according to the descrip- tion and specimen in Linnzus’s Herbarium, it is 4. arborescens, while according to the refe- rence to Plukenet, it is 4. crispa. ‘This ob- servation I have copied from Mr aiid aceite , notes. \ AYSMALOBIUM. [Asclepiadis sp. Linn. Cuar. Corolla sfida, patens. Corona staminea summo tubo filamentorum m- posita, simplici serie decempartita, laciniis 5 antheris oppositis carnosis, subrotundis, intus simplicibus ; 5 reliquis nanis. | Anthere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis compress, apice affixe, pen- dul, processubus connectentibus latiusculis. Stigma muticum. Folliculi ventricosi, rameutacei. Semina como- sa. | , a Oe oe ON THE ASCLEPIADE&. 39 Hasitus. Frutices erecti. Folia opposita. Um-— belle interpetiolares. Flores majusculi, limbo nunc barbato. : Parria. Africa Australis. Oss. This genus at present consists of only two ‘Species, Asclepias undulata and ae CALOTROPIS. [Asclepiadis sp. Linn. Car. Corolla sub-campanulata, tubo angulato, angulis intus saccatis, limbo spartito. Corona staminea 5phylla, foliolis carineformi- bus, tubo filamentorum longitudinaliter ad-— ‘Matis, basi recurva. Anthere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis compress, apice attenuato af- fixz, pendule. Stigma muticum. Folliculi ventricosi, leves. Semina comosa. Hasitus. Frutices erecti, glabri. Folia opposi- ta, lata. Umbelle interpetiolares. Flores spe- ciosi. | as Patria. India Orientalis, et Persia. KANAHIA. CHar. Carella campanulata, limbo Spantita. Columna semi-inclusa. Corona staminea apice tubi filamentorum impo- sita, sphylla, foliolis e basi incrassat4 subula- tis, indivisis. one | Anthere membrana terminate. G4 40. ON THE ASCLEPIADES. Masse pollinis ventricose, apirs alfioneoy’ pen dulz. Stigma muticum. guys Follicult graciles, striati. Semina comosa? Hasitus. Frutex ? erectus. Folia opposita, pla- na. Pedunculi interpetiolares, apice fascicu- latim multiflori, pedicellis imbricatis, basi uni- bracteatis. Patria. Arabia. Oss. Asclepias laniflora, Forsk. Atgypt. Arab. p- 51. KANAKK Of the Arabs, is the only species of the genus. I have examined the flowers of an original specimen. The account of the fruit is taken from Forskael’s description, and waphs figure. OXYSTELMA. Cuar. Corolla rotata, patens. —Columna exserta. Corona staminea s5phylia, Pjonine acutis, indi- Visis. | Anthere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis compress, apice attenuato af- fixe, pendulz. Stigma muticum. Folliculi leves. Semina comosa. | Hasitus. Suffrutices volabiles, glabri. Folia op- posita. Racemi v. umbelle interpetiolares. Patria. India Orientalis et Nova Hollandia? , ON THE ASCLEPIADEAs At Oss. Periploca esculenta, Linn. Suppl. Roxd. Corom. 1. p. 13. t. 11. is the type of the genus, and perhaps the only genuine species; for a New Holland plant which I have at present joined with it, differs considerably both in the form of its corolla and that of its corona. OXYPETALUM. CHar. Corolla tubo brevi ventricosa; limbo S- -partito, laciniis supra ligulatis. Corona staminea sphylla, foliolis subrotundis simplicibus, carnosis. Anthere membrana terminate, _ Masse pollinis lineares, pendule, affix curva- | ture processuum, dein adscendentium. S¢igma acumine elongato bipartito. | SP Gi ente. \s i. a Hazitus. Frutex volubilis. Folia opposita, cor- data. Umbelle subcorymbose, interpetiolares. Flores suaveolentes. : Patria. America Meridionalis. Oss. The genus consists of a single species, which was discovered in 1768, near Rio de Ja- neiro, by Sir Joseph Banks. ‘DIPLOLEPIS. Cuar. Corolla tubo brevi, urceolato, limbo 5par- 42. ON THE ASCLEPIADER, Corona siaminea 5phylla, foliolis obtusis squa-. mula interiori auctis. Anthere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis ventricose, juxta apicem affixe, ~ pendule. Stigma rostro elongato ‘dived, POMC 6 oe oe Hapsitus. Patria. America Australis. Ozs. Only one certain species is known, which was discovered by my friend Mr Archibald Menzies, in Chili, near Valparaizo. Asclepias vomitoria of Koenig’s MSS., of which I have examined specimens in the Bank- sian Herbarium, agrees with this genus in many respects, especially in the form and insertion of its masses of pollen, but differs considerably in appearance, and in having a blunt stigma. "HOLOSTEMMA. Cuar. Corolla subrotata, 5fida. Corona imo tubo stamineo set im an- nularis, integra. Anthere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis pendule, comp apice at- tenuato affixe. Stigma muticum. Folliculi ventricosi, leves. Semina comosa. Haszitus. Frutex volubilis, glaber. Folia op- posita, lata. OUmbelle interpetiolares, subses- siles, Flore speciosi. " * P< nO ie Sm in Benes ON THE ASCLEPIADES. Az PaTRIA. India Orientalis. - Oss. This is Ada- ‘Kodien, Rbeed. Mal. Q.'f. 9s z. 7., in which the leaves are represented alter- nate, an error that is corrected in the descrip- tion, which is excellent, and well accords with a specimen in, the Banksian Herbarium col- lected by Dr Patrick Russell. | | CYNANCHUM. | [Cynanchi sp. Zinn. Cua. Corellia subrotata, 5partita. Corona staminea monophylla, 5—20loba, dum 5- -fida lobis antheris oppositis. Anthere membrana terminate. ' Masse pollinis ventricose, pendule. - Stigma apiculatum. : Folliculi leeves. Semina comosa. Hasitus. Plante perennes, vel suffrutices, ut- plurimum volubiles. Folia opposita. Umbelle interpetiolares. Patria varia, a gradu 59° lat. bor.! usque ad 32™ lat. aust. : | Oss. Though I have here very much limited the Linnean genus Cynanchum, yet it appears still to contain the elements of several genera: I shall therefore add the characters of all the | species I am acquainted with, divided into such sections as will probably hereafter be consider- ed distinct genera. ¢7 44. ON THE ASCLEPIADEA. L. Corona staminea tubulosa, columnam inclu- dens, ore 5-1cfido. Laciniz 5, interiores’ antheris, exterioribusque SEE et ey lele. Masse pollinis infra apicem inserte. Stigma apiculo semibifido. | Follicult cylindracei, divaricati. Caults volubilis. Folia cordata. 1. C. acutum, foliis oblongo-ovatis cordatis acu- tis, corollz laciniis oblongis obtusis.. Cynanchum acutum, Lzmm. cum synonymis. 2. C. Monspeliacum, foliis reniformibus: apice coarctato, semi-lanceolato, laciniis corolle lan- ceolatis obtusiusculis. Cynanchum Monspeliacum, Lzzz., cum: synony-. mis. Ozs. Forsan haud distinctum a priori. 3. C. Chinense, foliis ovatis cordatis: acumine brevi, laciniis corollz lanceolato-linearibus acutis, corone laciniis 5 exterioribus compres- so-filiformibus integris. Haz. In Chine provincia’ Peckeley, Georgius, Staunton, Baronettus. (v. s. in Herb, Banks.) - ~—s EF a Be Cte ca = eee Ss bar S * ON THE ASCLEPIADE A. As II. Coronea staminea tubulosa, columnam) inclu- dens, ore 5-1ofido, carinis decem interioribus simplicibus v. in lacinulas supra productis. - Masse pollinis infra apicem inserte. artic apiculo emarginato. Folliculi ventricosi, angulati, patentes. Caulis volubilis. Folia cordata. 4. C. pedunculatum, pedunculo communi foliis - glabriusculis longiore, carinis interioribus co- rone in lacinulas productis. Has. In Nova Hollandia tropica (ubi v. v.) 5. C. floribundum, pedunculo communi foliis gla- berrimis breviore, carinis interioribus corona in lacinulas productis. Has. In Nova Hollandia extra tropicum (ubi Ve V.) 6. C. erubescens, carinis interioribus corone 10- fide corolla brevioris simplicibus, pedunculo communi petiolum equante, Tamulis floribus- que extus pubescentibus. Has. In Nova Hollandia tropica, ubi a feet Banks, Baronetto, detectum. 4. C. pauciflorum, carinis interioribus corone 5- fide corollam equantis simplicibus, peduncu- lo communi petiolo breviore, ramulis floribus- que glabris, 46 ON THE ASCLEPIADEA. ‘lg Periploca tunicata, Retz. O68, 2. Ps 15e Willd: phyte Ie pe 7. m 23. 2.5. f. 3. Willd. sp. ph x. p. 1252. Hag. In India Orientali. (v. s. in 1 Herb. Tonka) IIT. Corona staminea tubulosa, columnam inclu- dens, ore 5-10fido, laciniis carinisve interio- ribus nullis. Masse pollinis apice seepius affixe. Stigma apiculo bifido. Caulis volubilis. Folia subcordata. 3. C. pilosum, foliis ovatis acutiusculis calycibus- que pilosis, corona 1ofida longitudine corolla. -Periploca Africana, Lzma., cum synonymis. : Has. In Africa Australi prope Promont. B. Spei. (ubi v. v.) g. C. crassifolium, foliis ovatis subcordatis ob- tusis, cum mucronulo carnosis calycibusque glabris, corona rofida longitudine corollz. Cynanchum obtusifolium, Linz. suppl. 169 2 Haz. In Africa Australi. (v. s, in Herb. Banks.) on 10. C. Capense, | foliis ovatis cordatis obtusis cum mucronulo caulibusque glabris, calycibus pubescentibus, corona 5fida. wipe duplo breviore. Cynanchum Capense, Linz. ‘dae 168 ? Has. In Africa Australi, (v. s. in Herb. Banks.) << ON THE ASCLEPIADE A. 47 V Corona staminea tubulosa, columnam inclu- dens, ore iofido, intus laciniis carinisve nul- lis. Masse pollinis apice affix. mn Stigma apiculo integro. Caulis erectus. | 11..C. roseum, foliis lanceolato-linearibus undu-. _ Iatis glabriusculis, pedicellis calycibusque pi- - losis. Asclepias foliis ex lineari-lanceolatis, floribus cs umbellatis, umbellis alternis erectis, caule erecto. Gmel. Sib. 4. p. 78.2. 42. : Asclepias Davurica, Willd. sp. pl. 1. p.1292? | Has. In Siberia. P. S. Pallas, in Herb. Banks, V. Gorona scutelliformis, carnosa, 5- -roloba, intus simplex. Masse pollinis infra apicem affixee, Stigma apiculo brevissimo, integto. Folliculi \eves. Gaules erectiuscull. 12. C. Vincetoxicum, caule erecto, corollis imber- bibus, pedicellis umbellz simplicis pedunculo communi triplo longioribus, corona 5loba. Asclepias Vincetoxicum, Lznz. Has. In Europa: in Suecia, etiam ad 598 40’ Lat. 48 ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. 13. C. medium, caule superné volubili, corollis imberbibus, pedicellis umbellz, seepe divisa pedunculo communi vix longioribus, corona ~ 5loba. | Has. . . Specimen e Hort. Reg. Paris. in Herb! Bunks | Sequenti proximum. 14. C. nigrum, caule superné volubili, corollis barbatis, pedicellis umbellz simplicis pedun- culo communi vix longioribus, corona semi- decemfida. Asclepias nigra, Linn. , | * Has. In Europa Australi. | * VI. Corona profundé sfida, laciniis simplicibus, Masse pollinis infra apicem affix. Stigma papilla emarginata. Folliculi ventricosi. 18, C. Sibiricum, foliis lanceolato-linearibus op- positis ternisque, caule decumbente. Asclepias Sibirica, Lznz. Has. In Siberia, etiam in China. (v. s, in W Bob. } Banks.) Oss. Vix hujus generis, MET APLEXIS. —Cuar. Corolla subrotata. = Corona staminea 5phylla, foliolis nanis, cuculla- tis, cum antheris alternantibus, Anthere membrana terminate: | Te ag ee ge ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. 49 Masse pollinis ventricose, pendulz, latere af- fixe. Stigma rostro elongato indiviso. WUICHR, 2... se Hasitus. Suffrutex volubilis, glaber. Folia cor- data. Racemi pedunculati, interpetiolares. Co- volle limbus barbatus. Patria. China, in provincia Peckeley. Geor- gius Staunton, Baronettus. DITASSA. Cuar- Corolla subrotata. Corona staminea duplex ; exterior spartita, la- ciniis acuminatis ; znterior 5phylla, brevior, exteriori antherisque opposita. | Anthere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis ventricose, infra apicem affixe, pendulz. : Stigma apiculo obtuso. Putco... .:.. Haszitus. Sufrutex volubilis, glaber. Folia op- posita, plana. Umbelle interpetiolares. Patria. America Meridionalis, Brasilia, ubi prope Rio de Janeiro detexit Josephus Banks, Baronetius- Secs 50. «ON THE ASCLEPIADER, DGMIA. ~— Cuar. Corolla subrotata, tubo brevi. Corona staminea duplex, exterior brevis, 10- partita, laciniis alternis nanis; zterior 5- phylla; foliolis basi solutis, supra subulatis. Anthere membrana terminate. Massa pollinis compress, apice te pen- dul. Stigma muticum. Folliculi ramentacei. Semina comosas Hasitus. Caulis volubilis. Folia opposita, cor- data. Flores umbellati. 4 Parria. India Orientalis, et Africa /Equinoc- tialis. Ozs. Asclepias cordata, Forsk. Arab. p. 49, and Cynanchum extensum, 7acq. ic. I. t. 54, are the only certain species of the genus: from the latter, Asclepias scandens, Palis. Hor. D’Owar, I. fp: g2: ¢. 56, is probably not distinct, sai Cynanchum bicolor, And. Repos. 562, is very nearly related to it. SARCOSTEMMA. Cuar. Corollg rotata. Corona staminea duplex ; exterior cyathiformis v. annularis, crenata ; interior sphylla, exteri- orem superans, foliolis carnosis. | Anthere taembrana terminate. Se 3 ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. 51 Masse pollinis apice affixe, pendule. Stigma sub-muticum. Follicul graciles, leves. Semina comosa. Hasitus. Caulis volubilis v. decumbens, aphyllus, articulatus, v. foliis oppositis distantibus. FJo- res umbellati, laterales v. terminales. Patria. India Orientalis, Nova Hollandia, et Af- rica, Oss. To this genus belong Cynanchum viminale, _ Linn. ; a species nearly allied to it from New Holland, and New Caledonia; and Asclepias Viminalis Linn., all of which I have exami- ned. The probable species are, Asclepias aphylla, Thunb. prod.; Asclepias stipitacea, Forsk. Arab. 50.3; Cynanchum pyrotechnicum, and perhaps also Asclepias aphylla, of the same author. EUSTEGIA. Cuar. Corolla rotata. Corona triplex; singula sphylla; extzma tauce inserta laciniis limbi opposita; religua ex- tima alternantia, antheris opposita, foliolis ‘media tripartitis, intime indivisis. Anthere membrana terminate. | Masse pollinis apice attenuato afixe, pendule, Stigma submuticum. Veen... 52 ON THE ASCLEPIADER. _Hasirus. Herba decumbens, humilis. Fi olia op- posita, hastata. Flores subumbellati. Patria. Africa australis. Oss. This remarkable character is taken from Apocynum hastatum, Thunb. prod. 47.3; A. minutum, Linn. Suppl. 169., and from a very nearly related species found at the Cape of Good Hope, by Mr Ferdinand Bauer, METASTELMA. Cuar. Corolla subcampanulata; Fauce coronata dentibus 5 exsertis, sinubus oppositis, tubum decurrentibus. Corona staminea nulla. Anthere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis compress, apice attenuato af- fixe, pendule. | Stigma muticum. E alliviler boa se ike. Hasitrus. Planta perennis, volubilis, glabra. Folia. opposita, membranacea. Umbelle inter- petiolares, subsessiles. Flores parvi. Patria,” America meridionalis. Ozs. This is the Cynanchum parviflorum of Swartz, whose description, however, of the corona, in Flor. Ind. oc. 1. p. 537-, does not agree with ours, which was taken from excellent | specimens in the Banksian Herbarium, collec- ON THE ASCLEPIADEA. 53 ted in the islands of St Croix, and St Christo- pher, by Masson and Von Robr. MICROLOMA. ([Ceropegiz sp. Linn. Facq. Ceropegia Lam. Lllust. Geni tag, 170... : Cuar. Corolla urceolata, tubo ventricoso, angu- lato, fauce nuda, limbo breviore. Sguame 5, incluse, medio tubo sub sinubus in- sertz, totidem fasciculis villorum alternan- tes. | Corona staminea nulla. _ Anibere membrana terminate, fagittate. Masse pollinis compresse, apiceaflixe, pendule. Stigma apiculatum. Pee. 4s Hasitus. Suffrute volubiles. Folza opposita. Umbelle interpetiolares. Patria. Africa australis. Ozs. This genus is formed from the two Cape species of Ceropegia, viz. sagittata and te- nutjiora, plants which are widely different from the original species of that genus. 1. M. sagittatum, foliis sagittatis pubescentibus, corolle limbo acutiusculo. } Ceropegia sagittata, Linn. mant. 2. M. dineare, foliis linearibus glabris, corolle limbo obtusissimo. ; Ceropegia tenuiflora, Linz. D3 54 ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. ASTEPHANUS. [Apocyni sp. Lin. fil. et Thun. Cuar. Corolla subcampanulata, fauce tuboque esquamatis. Corona staminea nulla. Anithere membrana terminate. Masse pollinis pendule. Stigma caudatum, v. muticum. Poriicilis o's. Hasitus. Plante perennes, sepius volubiles. Folia opposita. Umbelle interpetiolares. Flores parvi. -Parria. Africa australis: Oss. This generic character is formed from Apocynum triflorum and lineare, Linn. suppl., and from two new species in the Banksian collection. Apocynum cordatum and lan- ceolatum, Thunb. prod., probably likewise be- long to the genus; and I have modified the character, to admit a very remarkable plant, found by Mr Masson in South Africa, the stem of which is shrubby with spinescent branches, the leaves extremely minute, op- posite, distant, and heartshaped. The corolla rather urceolate than bellshaped ; the orifice of the tube furnished with deflected hairs; the masses of pollen are fixed by their at- tenuated apices; the stigma is blunt; the folliculi nearly cylindrical and smooth, with seeds of the usual structure. The whole ge. } | | ON THE ASCLEPIADEA. 55 nus is evidently very near akin to Microloma, and differs chiefly in the want of squame within the tube. They might, therefore, be united; but this would lead to the junction also of Metastelma, a native of the West In- dia Islands, which I am unwilling to join with these South African plants. i. Masse pollinis 20, leves, quaternatim (duabus antheris pertinentes), affixa apice corpuscu- lorum exsulcorum stigmatis. Filamenta connata, extus appendiculata. -SECAMONE. . [Periploce sp. Linn. Cuar. Corolla rotata. Corona staminea 5phylia. Masse pollinis erectz quaternatim affix apice corpusculi subsimilis, exsulci stigmatis. _ Stigma apice coarctato. ‘ Pinu... ..: . Hapitus. frutices erecti v. volubiles, glabri. . Folia opposita. Cyme dichotom, interpe- tiolares. Flores minuti. ~Parria. Africa, India Orientalis, et Nova Hol- landia tropica. Oss. From ithe extreme minuteness of the parts, no genus has been more difficult to determine than this: it is, however, perfectly natural and distinct, and is evidently the connecting D4 56 ON THE ASCLEPIADES. link between the [true Asclepiadez, and the Periplocee, which follow. I have examined five species, of which two are published plants, viz. Periploca secamone Linn. and emetica of Reitz. and Willdenow. The third is a climber, a native of India, discovered by Dr Roxburgh ; and two are erect shrubs, natives of the tro- pical part of New Holland. Il]. PertreLoces. Masse pollinis 5-20, granulose, (granulis e sphe- rulis 4 compositis), solitaria, usque quater- natim apici dilatato corpusculi singuli stig- matis affixe. Filamenta partim v. omnino libera. HEMIDESMUS. [Periploce sp. Linn, / Cuar. Corolla rotata, squamis 5, sub sinubus, ob- tusis. , Filamenta basi connata, supra distincta. da- there cohezrentes, a stigmati liberze, imber- bes, apice simplices. | Masse pollinis 2°. Stigmamuticum. Folliculi cylindracei, divaricatissimi, laves. Se- mina comosa. 3 Hasitus. Frutices volubiles, glabri. Folia op- posita, nitida. Vores interpetiolares, congesti, parvi. Patria. India Orientalis. 4 ‘ON THE ASCLEPIADEZ. 57 Oss. This genus, whose name is derived from the partial connection of the stamina, is composed. of Periploca Indica, and two very nearly re- lated unpublished species. Its strict affinity to Periploca, is unquestionable, but the dif- ferences in the structure of its flower, appear to me sufficient to justify its separation from that genus. PERIPLOCA. [Periploce sp. Linn. Cuar. Corolla rotata. Squamis 5, faucis laciniis alternatibus, aristatis. Filamenta distincta. -Antbere coherentes, dor- so barbate. Masse pollinis apice dilatato corpusculi stigma- tis applicite, solitariz, e quatuor confluenti- bus. Stzgma submuticum. Follicult cylindracei, divaricatissimi, leves. Se- mina comosa. Hasitus. Frutices szpius volubiles, glabri. Fo- fia opposita, nitida. Flores subcorymbosi in- terpetiolares. Parria. Europa australis. Syria. Africa septen- trionalis, et aquinoctialis. Oss. Periploca Greca, and-levigata, are the two principal species of the genus. P. angustifo- lia, Billard. no doubt also belongs to it; and I have seen a fourth and very remarkable spe- te) ON THE ASCLEPIADER. , cies brought from Sierra Leone, by Professor’ Afzelius, on account of which, {1 have been obliged slightly to modify the character. GYMNANTHERA. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis. Corona faucis 5phylla. Filamenta distincta, fauci inserta. J os REIT a oS ate - Semcon eae - ecco ree eae eee eee oe sae ee ee wee eee se eeee PeESTONIA.: quilateres: Antherze mucrone brevissimo. BALFouRIA. eecovteeoeoe e222? 6 eo 8 0 © 2'8 a oat e@eceoeeesveee 6 NERIUM. - ean one nesneoee eee eereree es ee Oe 0 0% oe eeeee. OSTROPHANTHUSS- volutis. Corolla fauce coronata. Wricatia. ypocrateriformis, fauce nuda. ee ° e ee @°e@ e'e' ee eoeee eo 8 e eo e@ 6 € °° { ALSTONIA.- APOCINEA. Sect. I. SEMINA COMOSA. A. Coma ad extremitatem umbilicalem (superi- orem) seminis. ECHITES. [Brownz. Echitides plereq. Facg. Echitidis species, Zinn. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis, fauce tuboque esquamatis. Laciniis limbi 5partiti inequila- teris. : 7 Stamina inclusa. Anthere sagittate, medio stig- mati cohzerentes, lobis posticis polline vacuis. Ovaria 2. Stylus 1, filiformis. Squame 5 hypogyne. Folliculi graciles. Hasitus. Frutices yolubises. Folia opposita, ciliis interpetiolaribus glandulosis. Pedunculi interpetiolares, multiflori. Flores utplurimum -speciosi, albi, lutei et purpurei. Patria. America meridionalis. | Oxs. Of Echites I have only examined £. umbel- lata, the original species when the species was establishsd by Brown in his “ History of Ja- 60 ON THE APOCINES. maica ;”’ biflora, circinalis,and Domingensis : But, from the descriptions and figures of authors, espe- cially of Jacquin, Swartz, and the authors of the ** Flora Peruviana,’’ I without hesitation refer to it the following species : E.suberecta Zacq. repens Jacq. agglutinata Yacg. asperuginis Swartz, { torulosa Facq. acuminata H. Peruv. laxa H. Peruv. hirsuta H. Peruv. E. quinquangularis, Jacq. and annularis, Linn. Suppl. are probably not genuine species, on account of the prominent ring of the faux, and E. glandulosa H. Peruv. _ which according to the figure has a crown of 5 _ entire laciniz and the segments of the corolla equal-sided, must be excluded from this genus. E. siphilitica, the specimen of which in the Linnean Herbarium I have seen but not suffi- ciently examined, is somewhat doubtful. E. floribunda, corymbosa and spicata are removed to another genus. ‘The two remarkable species of South Africa, E. bispinosa and succulenta, require further examination ; for their peculiar habit indicates their being a distinct genus from Echites, which it would be desirable to limit to the species of tropical America: hence it will be necessary to re-examine certain plants of India that in many respects agree with this i genus, especially Tsjeria-pupal-valli of Rheed, Mail. 7. p. 103. t. 55. which appears to differ | from Echites chiefly in having a calyx longer than the tube of the corolla, in the scales sur- rounding the ovarium being united, (which, te 2 * Ba I ond x = - = — w= sil tae a Be =a siege Re ee a a ee ea ee ee ee, ie es os Sp we a ra ON THE APOCINER - 6r however, is also the case in E. Domingensis,) and in the greater quantity and density of the albumen, which is between fleshy and cartilagi- nous. | ‘ The authors of the ‘“‘ Flora Peruviana’’ have reformed the character of Echites, but the scales which they describe between the calyx and corolla will certainly not materially assist in distinguishing this genus from those most near- ly related to it; and I have observed, a nearly similar structure in most of the genera of this family, as well as of Asclepiadez : these scales, however, truly belong to the calyx, and are either five or ten in number, or more rarely consist of an uninterrupted series of ciliz, not unlike those which so frequently occur within the footstalks of the leaves. My observations are not sufliciently numerous to enable me to determine whether their modifications might not generally assist in characterizing genera, and I have, therefore, very seldom had recourse to them. 3 ICGHNOCARPUS. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis, limki laciniis dimidiatis, fauce tuboque esquamatis. Stamina inclusa. Anthere sagittate, a stigmate liberee. Ovaria 2. Stylus 1, filiformis. Stigma ovatum, acuminatum. 62 ON THE APOCINEZ. Filamenta 5, hypogyna, staminibus alternaritia. Folliculi. graciles. Hasitus. Frutex oppositifolius. Panicula ter- -minalis, brachiata. flores parvi. Patria. India Orientalis et Zeylona. Ozs. This is the Apocynum frutescens Zinn., of which I have examined the original specimen in Herman’s herbarium. The Quirivelia Zey- janica of Lamarck and Poiret, in Encycl. method. - botan. vol. 6. p. 42. considered by them as. Linnzus’s plant, must, from the description, be widely different, and probably does not belong to the same natural family. HOLARRHENA. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis, laciniis equila- teris, fauce tubogue esquamatis. Stamina inclusa, imo tubo inserta. Anthere a stigmate libere, lanceolate, integra, longi- tudinaliter pollinifere. Ovaria 2. Stylus brevissimus. Stigma cylin- draceum. Squame nulle hypogyne. Folliculi graciles. | Hapituss Frutices erecti, glabri. Folia mem- branacea. Cyme terminales et laterales. Parria. India Orientalis et Zeylona. Oxzs. This genus consists of two species; one of which is Carissa mitis, Vahl. symb. 3. p. 44.3 a mar os eee ON THE APOCINEA, - 63 specimen of this, so named by Keenig, I have examined in the Banksian Collection. ISONEMA. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis; fauce tuboque esquamatis ; limbo 5partito. Stamina exserta. Filamenta fauci inserta, apice simplicia. Anthere sagittate, medio stigma- ti cohzrentes. : Ovaria 2. Stylus 1, filiformis. Stigma incras- satum, obtusum. Squame nulle hypogyne. PONE. So... e Hasitus. Frutex, erectus? oppositifolius, pilosus. Panicula terminalis, brachiata, floribus corym- bosis. Calyczs foliola basi intus, squama dupli- ci. Corolle (semuncialis) tubus cylindraceus, intus medio barbatus. | Parria. Africa A.quinoctialis, (AH. Smeathman, in Herb. Banks.) VALLARIS. [Burm. ind. 51. Pergularie sp. Linn. ( Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis; fauce tuboque esquamatis, limbo 5fido obtuso. Stamina exserta. Filamenta fauci inserta, bre- Vissima, apice extus gibbere carnoso. dn- there sagittate, medio stigmati coherentes. Ovarium biloculare. Stylus filiformis. Stigma conico-ovatum. 64 ON THE APOCINE. Squama 5, hypogyne, basi connate, apicibus ciliatis. Folliculi, in « Hasitus. Frutex volubilis, ~oppositifolius. Pe- duncult interpetiolares, dichotomi. flores co- rymbosi, suaveolentes. Patria. India Orientalis. Oss. This is the Flos Pergulanus of Rumphius, which Linnzus considered as the first species of bis genus Pergularia: it does not, however, belong to the same order with the plant that af- forded his generic character, and to which the name has been since generally applied. - PARSONSIA. _ [Echitidis sp. Zacq. et Swartz. ~Cuar. Corolla infundibuliformis, fauce tuboque esquamatis, limbo 5partito, recurvo, laciniis eequilateris. 3 Stamina exserta. Lilamenta medio v. juxta basin tubi inserta, filiformia. Axthere sagit- tate, medio stigmati coherentes, lobis. posti- cis polline destitutis. : Ovaria 2, v. 1, biloculare. Stylus 1. Stigma dilatatum. Squame 5, hypogyne, distincte, v. connate. Follicult 2, distincti, v- cohzrentes. Hasitus. Frutices volubiles. Folia opposita. Flores cyniosi, v. racemosi, racemis szpe com- ON THE APOCINES.» ‘65 positis, terminales v. Bea Catt parvi, COs lore in varils vario. ee Patria. America Meridionalis et Australasia. Oss. The American species of this genus, viz. Echites: corymbosa Yacq. floribunda Sw. and spicata Yacq. ditter considerably from the rest, which are natives of New Holland and New Zealand. Among these, the only published species is Periploca capsularis, forst. prod. n. 126. When the fruit of all has been exa- mined, they will probably be divided in the - following manner : + Americane. Ovariis duobus. Folliculis distinctis. ++ =Australasienses. Ovario biloculari. Fol- liculis longitudinaliter cohzerentibus. The genus is named in memory of Dr James Parsons, the author of a Dissertation on the Analogy between the Propagation of Animals and that of Vegetables, and of an unfinished work, entitled, “ The Microscopical Theatre of Seeds.”’ The Parsonsia of Brown, which Lin- meus reduced to Lythrum, is a species of Cuphea. 66 ON THE APOCINEX. LYONSIA. Cuar. Corolla infundibuliformis, fauce tuboque esquamatis, limbo 5partito, recurvo, laciniis zequilateris: astivatione valvata- | Stamina exserta- Filamenta medio tubo inser- ta, filiformia. Anthere sagittate, medio stig- mati cohzrentes, lobis posticis polline vacuis. Ovarium biloculare. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato. | Stigma subconicum. “ Squame 5, hypogyne, connate. Capsula cylindracea, bilocularis, valvis folli- culiformibus, dissepimento parallelo libero utrinque semenifero- Hasitus. Frutex volubilis. Folia opposita. Cyme ‘terminales, trichotome- Flores inter minores, limbo barbato. Patria. Nova Hollandia. Oxs. This genus is perhaps too nearly related to the New Holland portion of Parsonsia, from which it differs chiefly in its fruit being capsu- Jar. It is named in memory of Israrx Lyons, author of “ Fasciculus Plantarum circa Canta- brigiam nascentium,’? and from whom Sir Jo- seph Banks received his earilest instructions in botany, ON THE APOCINEX. - 67 APOCYNUM. [Apocyni sp. Linn. et Fuss. Cuar. Corolla campanulata. Tubus denticulis 5, acutis, inclusis, laciniis limbi oppositis. Faux nuda. Stamina inclusa. Anthere sagittate, medio stigmati cohezrentes, lobis posticis polline’va- CUS. Ovaria 2, Styli subnulli, Stigma dilatatum, apice conico. Squame 5, hypogyne. Folliculi graciles, distincti. Hasitrus. Herbe perennes, erectze. folia oppo- sita, membranacea. Llores cymosi. Patria. America Borealis, et Europa Australis. Oss. The Linnean genus Apocynum, at present contains many plants widely different from the species of which it originally consisted. Most of the spurious species I have already referred to different genera, and I here add specific charec- ters of all the genuine species with which I am acquainted. 1, A. androsemifolium, foliis ovatis glabris, cymis terminalibus lateralibusque, tubo corolle ca- lycem bis superante. _Apocynum andresemifolium, Lzaz. EK 2 63 ON THE APOCINER. | 2..A. cannabinum, foliis lanceolatis utrinque acu- tis, glabris, cymis paniculatis, calyce tubum co- rollz zquante. Apocynum cannabinum, Lzan. 8. A. hypericifolium, foliis oblongis glabris bre- vissimé petiolatis mucronatis: basi obtusa sub- cordata, cymis folio brevioribus, Pinay vm tubum corollz zequante. Apocynum hypericifolium, Hort. Kew. 4. A. pubescens, foliis ovato-oblongis mucronatis ; basi obtusis ; utrinque cymaque breviore pubes- centibus, calyce corollam subzquante. Has. In Virginia. Mitchell, in Herb. Banks. (ubi v. s.) ’ 5. A, Sibiricum, foliis ovato- 10-oblongis mucronatis glabris ; basi obtusa, cymis terminalibus pedun- culatis pulvereo-pubescentibus, tubo corolle calycem superante. | Has. In salsis desertorum Astrachanensium. P. S. Pallas, M.D. in Herb, Banks. (ubi v. s.) 6. A venetum, foliis cblongo-ellipticis glabris mucronatis; basi subattenuata, cymis panicula- tis lateralibus terminalibusque, calyce tubum corolle zquante. | Apocynum venetum, Lizn, ON THE APOCINER. 69 % CRYPTOLEPIS. Cuar. Corolla infundibuliformis. TZubus squa- mulis 5, obtusis, inclusis, laciniis limbi al- ternantibus. Faux nuda. Stamina inclusa, imo tubo inserta. Antbere sagittatee. Ovaria 2. Stylio. Stigma dilatatum, apiculo conico. Squamuleé §, hypogyne. OS ae Hasitus. Frutex volubilis. Folia opposita, pa- ginis discoloribus, inferiore venosa. Corymbz interpetiolares subsessiles brevissimi. Patria. India Orientalis. (Francis Buchanan, M. D., in Herb. Banks.) PRESTONIA. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis. Fayx corona- ta, tubulo annulari indiviso, squamisque 5, interioribus laciniis limbi alternantibus. Anthere semi-exserte, sagittata, medio stigmati cohzrentes, lobis posticis polline vacuis. Ovaria 2. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato. Stigma turbinatum apiculo angustiore. Urceolus hypogynus, tphyllus. | Peete... ... | | Hasitus. Frutex volubilis, tomentosus. Folia _ opposita, tomentosa. | Corymbi congesti inter- HS 70 ON THE APOCINEA. petiolares. Calyx foliaceus, laciniis basi intus squamula instructis. Patria. America Meo P. tomentosa. Has. In sepibus propé Rio de Janeiro, in Brasilia, de- texit Josephus Banks, Baronettus. Ozs. This genus is named in memory of Dr Cuaries Preston, the correspondent of Ray, and styled by him, “ eruditissimus vir, et curio- sissimus stirpilum observator.”?’ Many of his observations, chiefly on the more minute plants, occur in Ray’s ‘* Methodus emendata.”’ Blair also mentions him as an ingenious and expert botanist. : BALFOURIA. Cuar. Corolla infundibuliformis. Faux corona- ta, tubulo crenulato. Limbi laciniz recte, zequilateres. Stamina ‘semi-exserta, fauci inserta. Anthere sagittates, medio stigmati cohzrentes, mucro- nate. | Ovarium biloculare. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato. Stigma angulatum. Squamule 10, basi calycis extra code inser~ te: hypogyne nulle. Feo llectthie, acerca’ Hasitus. Arbor inter minores. Folia opposita, lanceolato-linearia, falcata, denticulis inter- ON THE APOCINER. ves petiolaribus. Cyme trifide, laterales et ter- minales. | | ' Patria. Nova Hollandia tropica. Ozs. I have named this genus in memory of Sir ANpREw Batrour, the founder of the Edin- burgh Botanic Garden and Museum, of whose merits in natural history, especially in botany, an interesting account is given by his friend Sir Robert Sibbald, in a small ‘volume, entitled, ** Memoria Balfouriana.”’ NERIUM. | [Nerii sp. Linn. et Fuss. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis. Faux corona- ta, foliolis lacero-multifidis. Limbi laciniis tortis, inequilateris ecaudatis. Stamina. Filamenta medio tubo inserta. An- there sagittate aristate, medio stigmati co- heerentes. Ovaria 2. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato. Stigma obtusum. Sguame nulle hypogyne. ... denticuli in basi calycis, extra corollam. Follicult cylindracei. : Hasitus. Frutices erecti. Folia terna., elongata, - coriacea, venis numerosis, parallelis, Patria. India Orientalis. E 4 72 ON THE APOCINEA, Oss. The only true species of Nerium are, N. Oleander, odorum, and probably salicinum, Forsk. form avery distinct genus, which I have named Wrightia. N. coronarium is probably a Taber- nemontana, and N. divaricatum, from an exa- mination of the specimen in Hermann’s Herba- rium, on which this species entirely rests, I be- lieve to be the same plant. Nerium obesum, Forsk., seems to be sui generis: it cannot, at least, be a Nerium. STROPHANTHUS, Decandolle. [Echitidis sp. | | Linn, Cuar. Corolla infundibuliformis. Faux coronata squamulis decem, indivisis. Limbi lacinize caudate. yi Stamina medio tubo inserta. Anthera sagit- tate, aristate, v. mucronate. Ovaria 2. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato. Stigma subcylindraceum. Squame 5, hypogyne. Foliicalt.: vos. Hasitus. Frutices sarmentosi. ola opposita. Patria. Africa np inborn et India Orien- talis. | Nerium Zeylanicum and antidysentericum, ON THE APOCINEE. oo Sect. 1. B. Coma ad extremitatem umbilico ob- versam (inferiorem) seminis. WRIGHTIA. ~ [Nerii sp. Linn. Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis. Faux corona- ta squamis decem, divisis. Stamina exserta. Filamenta fauci inserta. An- there sagittatz, medio stigmati coherentes. Ovaria 2, coherentia. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato.: Stigma angustius. Squameé 5-10, basi calycis extra corollam in- serte. Folliculi distincti, v. cohzerentes, ee ad- - natis. Hasitus. Frutices erecti, arboresve minores. Folia opposita. Corymbisubterminales. Flores albi. Albumen o- Embryo cotyledonibus lon- gitudinaliter inoclutis, albus, aqua calidé im- mersus roseus evadit! ) Patria. India Orientalis, Zeylona, Archipelago Malaica, et Noya Hollandia tropica. Oxzs. Gertner has given an excellent account of the fruit of this genus, in his description of Nerium Zeylanicum, and he no doubt suppo- sed, that the fruit of Nerium Oleander was es- sentially the same. It is, however, very re- markably different. And no genus is more, distinct in habit, or more beautifully charac- terized than this, which I have dedicated to my much respected friend, W1LLiam Wruicur, | 74 ON THE APOCINES. M.D. F.R.S. L. & E., whose ardour in the pursuit of botanical knowledge, even while en- gaged in extensive medical practice, in the island of Jamaica, has long entitled him to this mark of distinction. 1, W. antidysenterica, foliis obovato-oblongis breviter acuminatis glabris, corymbis subter- minalibus, tubo corolle calyce 6ies longiore, folliculis distinctis. Nerium foliis ovatis acuminatis petiolatis Lzzn. ‘Flor. Zeyl. 107. fide speciminis in herbario Her- manni, | Nerium antidysentericum Linn. sp. pl. ed. 2. p. 306. Has. in Zeylona. Herman, et Ff. G. Kenig, in Herb. Banks. Oss. Codaga pala, Rheed. mal. 1. p. 85. t. 47. vix hujus loci, presertim ob diversam figuram folio- rum, et corone defectum; ideoque forsan Ho- larrhene species sit. | 2, W. Zeylanica, foliis oblongo-lanceolatis. sub- acuminatis glabris, corymbis terminalibus, tubo corolle calyce 4-5ies longiore, folliculis dis- tinctis. Nerium Zeylonicum, Linn. Amen. Acad. 4. p.309*. Has. In Zeylona. Exemplar visum ex Herbario » fuit D. Van Royen. nunc in Museo Banksiano. Ozs. Precedenti nimis affinis, diversa presertim figura foliorum, que etiam paulo minora sunt. 3. W. tinctoria, foliis elliptico-lanceolatis ovatisque - acuminatis glabris, ramis corymbisque divari- ON THE APOCINEZ. 75 catis, corolle tubo calyce duplo REO fol- liculis distinctis. Has. In India Orientali 7. G. Koenig, M. D. et Gul. paler ae M. D. in Herb. Banks. (ubi V. S.) 4. W. pubescens, foliis elliptico-oblongis acumina- tis calycibusque pubescentibus, corymbis erec- tis, tubo corollz calyce parum longiore, folli- culis cohzerentibus. Has. In Nove Hollandiz ora septentrionali Arn- henis Land, et in insula Timor prope Coepang, (ubi v. v.) Sect. I. C. Semina peltata, ciliata, utriusque ex- tremitatis ciliis elongatis comosa. ALSTONIA. [Echitidis sp. Linn, Cuar. Corolla hypocrateriformis, fauce tuboque esquamatis. Stamina inclusa. ahieeres lanceolate, longitu- dinaliter pollenifere a stigmate libere. Ovaria 2. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato. Stigma subconicum. Squamule nulle hypogyne, nec calycine. Folliculi teretes. . Hasitus. Arbores sepe procere, lactescentes. Folia verticillata vel opposita, costata, glabra. Cyme terminales, paniculate. Flores sepius albi, Folliculi plerumque longissimi. 26 | ON THE APOCINEX. Patria. India Orientay Archipelago Malaica, et Insulze Societatis. Oss. Had Linnzus examined the fruit of this genus, or even attended to the figure given of it in the “‘ Hortus Malabaricus,”’ (of which work, it is proper to observe, he had not a copy,) it 1s probable he would have distinguished it from Echites, to which it has so little affinity. As it is, lam happy in having it in my power to commemorate the merits of Dr Atsron, the predecessor of Dr Hope, by so distinct and splendid a genus. The Alstonia of the Younger Linneus, is, according to L’Heritier, a er of Symplocos. a. A. scholaris, foliis verticillatis 5-7, obovato- oblongis obtusis costatis venaque margini ap+ proximata cinctis, cymis breviter peduncula- tis, limbo corolle parum barbatis, folliculis longissimis. Pala, Reed. mal. 1. p. 81. t. 45. aptiaus Lignum scholare, Rumph. amb. 2. p. 246. t. 82. quoad descriptionem, sed figura potius ‘sequentis. Echites scholaris, Linn. mant. 53. Haz. In India Orientali et in Insulis Moluccanis. (v. s.in Herb, Banks). a. A. spectabilis, foliis quaternis elliptico-oblongis sub-acuminatis costatis: margine simplicibus, ON THE APOCINEA.: 77 eymis pedunculatis folio brevioribus, corolla limbo barbato, folliculis longissimis. Has. In Insula Timor prope Coepang, cum flori- bus fructibusque Aprili 1803 observavi. - Ops. Precedenti quam maximé affinis, sed revera distincta, nec malé ab icone cit. Rumphii repre- sentata; descriptio autem A. scho/arz melius convenit. 3. A. venenata, foliis quaternis oblongo-lanceolatis, acuminatis basi attenuatis, cymis dichotomis, corolle tubo sursum ampliato, limbo imberbi acuto, folliculis utrinque attenuatis folium vix eequantibus. : Has. In India Orientali, Gul. Roxburgh, M. D. (v. s. in Herb. Banks), 4. A. costata, foliis oppositis elliptico-oblongis acuminatis costatis, cymis effusis, limbi la- cinus imberbibus lanceolatis tubo longioribus, folliculis longissimis. Echites costata, Forst. Prod. 2. 123. Has. In Insulis Otaheité et Ulaietea, inter juga montium (insularibus Attahé nuncupata). Fose- pus Banks Baronettus. (v.s. in Herb. Banks.) Oxs. Rameth-valli, Rheed. mal. 9. p. 23+ f. Td, which is given in Willdenow’s sp. p/. 1. p. 12.40. as a synonyme of this plant, differs in the short- ness of the folliculi, and in having winged and 48 ON THE APOCINEXA. naked seeds. Rheede also describes his plant as being a climber. The seeds of the Otaheité plant, which forms a moderate-sized tree, are distinctly ciliated ; but I am not certain that the ciliz are so remarkably elongated at each ex- tremity, as in the other species; and it may, therefore, be a connecting link between this section of Apocinez, in which I have placed it, and the nearly related genera Plumeria, Came- raria, and Vinca =| (eee | Auge IV. An Account of Five rare Species of British Fishes. By Greorce Monracu, Esq; F. L. 8. & M. W. S. (Read 11th Marcb 1809.) WNarure opens her stores to us by slow degrees; and thus, by not unfolding all her treasures at once, the human mind is not only kept in con- stant expectation, but impressed with sentiments of the highest importance, by continual novelty, leading us to reflect on the infinite power and wisdom of that Being, whose wondrous works are daily and hourly multiplying upon our senses, Among the animals whose powers of loco-mo- tion are considerable, there are none that appear to have so little difficulty in transporting them- selves, or so small a share of the vicissitudes of temperature to contend with, as fishes. Birds which are endowed with superior powers of trans- portation, have to contend with elements that frequently baffle their intentions, and subject 80 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES them to imminent dangers: violent storms oppose ‘their airy pinions, and frequently whole wearied flocks are precipitated into, and perish in the ra- ging sea. Yet by far a greater variety of birds than of fishes appear to migrate to any consider- able distance; although the latter can traverse the ocean in perfect security, during the most violent tempest, by keeping in the deep, where neither storms, nor change of temperature are materially felt. : This being the case, it appears extraordinary that so little has been added to the ichthyology of - Great Britain since the days of Ray. _ But we may conclude the range of most fishes to be confined. by certain sensations, or limited by certain laws, by which their nature is governed; and as all their wants are amply supplied within a small distance, they have little propensity to extensive migration. A few species, therefore, are found to visit us annually from the north; or perhaps to come in shoals, only from the deep ocean to the shallow waters, for the purpose of spawning more immediately within the infiuence of the sun’s CAVE) Oy | Mr Donovan, in-his late publication on British Fishes, has given a few additions to those described by Mr Pennant ; and I have the pleasure of submit- ting two others tothe Wernerian Society,—one of which appears to be a non-descript, and the other so little known as perhaps to have occasioned a doubt of its existence as a distinct species. Both } : jy i a fe OF BRITISH FISHES. Str these are now in my museum, and the following are correct descriptions of them. ‘The first is of the Apodal order, but not suf- ficiently connected with any genus at present formed, to find a place: I have, therefore, been induced to constitute a new genus for the pur- pose. ‘The head and forepart very much resemble the figure given of Zrichiurus Lepturus ; but this being destitute of the caudal fin forbids our ar- ranging them together. In the fins it comes nearest to Ammodytes Tobianus, or Sand-lance ; but the head, shape of the body, and other particulars, materially differ. Upon the whole, it comes near- est to Ophidium aculeatum, which differs from the rest of that genus in having a distinct caudal fin. | | Under these circumstances I have thought pro- per to affix to it the following generic characters, together with the title of LIPHOTHECA. Head lengthened: teeth surrounding the jaws in one row, the foreteeth longest, semi- sagittate : eyes large, lateral: body compres- sed, carinated, ensiform: dorsal, anal, and caudal fins distinct: two small scales on the abdomen in the place of ventral fins. 4 32 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES * Z. TETRADENS. §> (Pu. II.) The length of the fish is five feet six inches depth at the gills four inches and a half, and from’ thence to the vent the size is nearly the same; from the vent it gradually decreases to the com- mencement of the anal fin, where it is about two inches in depth; and afterwards decreases more suddenly to the end of that fin, where it becomes nearly round and about half an inch in diameter: its thickness just behind the gills scarcely exceeds one inch and a quarter; behind the vent one inch and one eighth; at the commencement of the anal fin, five eighths of an inch ; and across the gills, one inch three quarters. The weight, with- out the intestines, was six pounds one ounce. The shape is completely ensiform, being much com- pressed, and equally carinated above and beneath, except the head, which is flat on the top; and the eyes placed lateral, and as distant as the thickness of the head will admit: the head * is porrected, and conic, the under jaw the longest by half an inch, terminating in a callous fieshy projection beyond the teeth: each jaw is furnished with an irregular row of extremely sharp-pointed teeth, standing very conspicuous, even when the jaws are closed; those in the under, are about twenty in number on each side; in the upper, not quite so numerous, but in this jaw there are four large teeth in front, (hence the specific name tetradens ), ee # Plate III. ee Sy; ~ rt aback Geel fett e Felicl! f LM qide del TZ Mor z: epee... : incyyy wesnes esymomnetenese ih ree’ Ne enn AA SNEED IAT ONN = : = COE mM maine Senet” Mn * Bs = — OF BRITISH FISHES. ne 83 with which the other is not Surephed 2 two fore- teeth approximating ; ; and two Jarger canine, which are-rather crooked and compressed, with a slight process or barb on the inside near the point ; these are three quarters of an inch in length * " ‘the tongue is smooth, and, like the inside of the mouth, silvery : the roof of the mouth is furnished with a row of minute teeth on a prominent bone on each side: the branchiostegous rays were injured, and the gills were taken out, except one left by | accident, which was furnished with teeth on the inside of the arched bone: the eyes are very large, being nearly one inch and three quarters in dia- meter, independent, not covered with the common skin; irides silvery, nostrils ovate, placed just before the eyes: gill-coverts of one very thin plate: pectoral fins five inches long, consisting of twelve rays, the lower ones exceeding the upper by one half: instead of ventral fins there are two oblong silvery scales, half an inch in length, part- ly detached from the body, and connected to each other at the base; these are situated considerably behind the pectoral fins: the anus is about half way between the two extremities: the anal fin commences at about eleven inches from the end of the tail, and runs within one and a half of the . caudal fin, containing seventeen rays: the dorsal F2 * This pair of teeth does not interrupt the line of the smaller teeth, but stands within them. o4 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES fin arises on the back of the head, and continues uninterrupted till it reaches the posterior end of the anal fin, and consists of one hundred and five rays, increasing in length from one inch and a quarter, to one and three quarters near the tail; the three first rays are sub-spinous, the rest soft: the caudal fin is about three inches long, and fork- ed: the lateral line is slightly elevated, and runs straight, in a middle direction, till it approaches the head, and then gradually rises, and terminates over the gills: the colour of the skin, which is quite smooth and destitute of scales, is like bur- nished silver, with a bluish tint. This singular fish was taken in Salcomb har- bour on the coast of South Devon, on the 4th of June last (1808). It was swimming with astonish- ing velocity, with its head above water ;—to use the fisherman’s expression, “* going as swift as a “ bird ;’’ and was killed by a blow of an oar. It was made a public show in Kingsbridge, where in one day a guinea was taken for its ex~ hibition at one penny each person. It was em- bowelled before I first saw it ; and to prevent the destruction of so valuable an acquisition to natural history, I prevented a journey intended for it the next day to a distant fair, from whence had it ever returned it would not have been (as it was now warm weather) a fit subject for preservation, or minute description. In preparing this fish, I observed within the skin, on the abdominal parts, a great many small] 1 ‘Al 97" Id ae OF BRITISH FISHES. 85 ascarides, pointed at each end, and of a whitish colour: they were all coiled up in a spiral man- ner. On the head, beneath the skin, and along the root of the dorsal fin, were several of a species of echinorhynchus, of ayellow colour, nearly two inches in length, and more than one eighth of an inch in diameter: the proboscis short, with a round termination furnished with spines: the anterior end of the body sub-clavated, with a groove each side: posterior part wrinkled, and obtusely point- ed. These vermes had formed sinuses under the skin, and were firmly attached by one end. I do not find this species described. SYNGNATHUS zQuoreus. (Pu. IV. Fig. 1. Section of the Body, a.) Syngnathus equoreus, Gme/, Syst. p. 1456.—Shaw, Gen. Zool. V. Pp. 454. THERE appears to be some confusion relative to the slender species of that genus of fishes termed Syngnathus. Mr Pennant originally described three species as British, namely, the barbarus, or longer, acus, shorter, and ophidion, or little pipe- fish. The typhie is also mentioned in the “ British ‘Loology,”’ but with a remark, that the author joins with Gronovius in thinking it only a variety of ES 856 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES acus*, To this opinion I am ready to subscribe, notwithstanding a late author has attempted to define the two species; for, in the vast abundance that have come under my inspection, considerable variation in the size of the snout in proportion to the head has been noticed, as well as the bulk of the body in proportion to the length, the colour, and carina or angle on the belly ; and it must be confessed, nothing has appeared sufficient to con- stitute two specics, nor have I been able to find any description of typhle sufficient to characterize a distinction from acus. By consulting various authors, it is observable, that both these supposed species vary considerably in the number of rays in the dorsal fin, and that the anal is, from its -Mminuteness, sometimes overlooked. The distinc- tion, therefore, of these, is by no means made evi- dent; but we have an additional species given to us as British by Mr Donovan, the Syngnathus pelagicus. ‘This is destitute of the anal fin, but resembles the acus, in being possessed of the dor- sal and caudal fins, and in being heptangular; but the form is said to be more slender, the snout comparatively less, and the whole length of the - fish rarely exceeds five or six inches. It might indeed be doubted, whether this is actually the pelagicus, since the figure in Bloch % "The figures i in tab, xxii. Br. Zool. are numbered } wrong: 60. and 6r. should be reversed, } OF BRITISH FISHES. 87 is referred to by Gmelin, who expressly assigns to the anal fin four rays, if we did not know that that fin is frequently so inconspicuous in other species as to occasion its being overlooked. * Mr Donovan, in a note of interrogation, says, «May not Pennant’s figure, plate 23. vol. iii. of the British Zoology, be taken from a fish of this species, in which the pectoral fins and tail were dried up, or had been destroyed by accident?” It is true, the figure alluded to has no visible pec- toral fins; but the description of that author par- ticularly specifies that fin to have twelve rays, which, together with its being destitute of the caudal fin, brings it nearer to the barbarus of Linnzus, and of which the existing doubt con- sists in that fish having been originally described as destitute of anal fin, whereas Mr Pennant states that fin of his fish to have three rays; but this circumstance may be reconciled, as before stated with regard to other species, the anal fin being so extremely small as readily to pass unno- ticed, by even an attentive observer, without the aid of a lens. : Here, then, we have four British species of Syn- gnathus, independent of the doubtful one typdle. To these I have the satisfaction to add, that which appears to bethe AX quoreal Pipe-fish, a species ori- ginally described by Linnzus, and which, I believe, has not since been identified by any author. E 4 83 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES Length, twenty inches and a half, viz. ten to the vent, and ten and a half to the end of the tail: the snout is similar to that of acus ; its length to the eye three quarters of an inch; from thence to the end of the gills including the eye, one inchs the form of the body is rather compressed, and angular, with an acute dorsal, and abdominal ridge, which, together with three slight angles on each side, gives it an octangular appearance: it is of equal size from the gills to the vent, which part contains about thirty plates; from the vent — to the extremity of the tail it is almost round, and extremely taper, containing about sixty-six plates: immediately behind the vent, the body of this specimen suddenly decreases to one-third less in diameter ; but this may be a sexual distinction. : The dorsal fin consists of forty rays, commen- cing considerably before the vent, and terminating rather behind it, so that three-fourths of the fin is before the ventral aperture. -It has neither pec- toral nor-anal fin. The end of the tail is extreme- ly small, and compressed into a spurious fin, the rays of which are enveloped in the common skin, and are scarcely definable by a lens, and not vi- sible to the naked eye. ‘The colour is yellowish, with transverse pale lines, with dark margins, one in each joint, and another down the middle of each plate, giving it the appearance of possessing double the number of joints it really has: these markings, however, cease just beyond the vent. OF BRITISH FISHES. _ $9 This fish was taken at Salcomb, in the year 1807, and selected from the common species, by a fisherman in the habit of collecting for me, and who remarked that he had never before seen one of the kind. . _ Another specimen, of about fifteen inches in length, has been picked up on the same coast this summer, in a dried state, but apparently perfect. In this there is no visible caudal finlike extre- mity, although the point of the tail is compres- sed: the angle on the back and belly is also less defined: but the dorsal fin is similarly situated, and consists of the same number of rays, and the number of plates on the body is very nearly simi- deta ii: This is the only species of Syngnathus (ophi- dion excepted) that is destitute of the pectoral fins, and therefore the lower figure but one in Tab. 23. of the “‘ British Zoology’”’ might have been — referred to for it, had not the description of the Longer Pipe-fish, for which that figure is intend- ed, clearly evinced that the defect of those fins ori- ginated with the draughtsman. The ophidion, according to some authors, grows to the length of two feet; such, most certainly, do not inhabit our shores; at least, it has never fallen to my lot to see one at all approaching to that magnitude; and I should not be in the least “surprised, if a different species had been figured by some authors for opbidion. For instance, no- ‘thing can be more evidently distinct than Fig. 3. go ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES in Tab. xxiii. of the « British Zoology,” and the. Suake Pipe-fish of the ‘* General Zoology,”’ V. tab. #79., both given for the Linnean ophidion. 'The- former has, I believe, been generally considered by the ichthyologists of our own country, as the true opbidion, and is the most common species on our coasts; and, as Mr Pennant justly remarks, seldom exceeds five inches in length, and is re- markably short in the snout. ‘The latter has not only a long snout, but the dorsal fin is not situated, with respect to the vent, as in the generally ac- cepted ophidion of our shores, and as properly de- fined in the “‘ British Zoology,”’ but more like what I have described to be in the equoreus ; that is, the vent is more nearly opposite the posterior part of the dorsal fin, whereas, in the opbidion, it 1s, vice versé, nearest the anterior end. These cir- cumstances cannot well be’ reconciled, without concluding, that the larger specimens, described as opbidion, are, in reality, that variety of equo- reus above mentioned, in which the angles are less defined, and the caudal fin inconspicuous, in which state it pretty well accords with the Lin- nean specific definition of ophidion,—*‘ pinnis caude ani pectoralibusque nullis, corpore tereti,”’ ty t y 4 PCE TA pou “AMET feu Tee A TOT we : * We ¥ i 4-5, 4 ° OF BRITISH FISHES. ot CYCLOPTERUS MONTAGUI. : (PL. V. Fig. 1.——Part of adhesion, a.) Diminutive Lump-sucker. Don. Br. Fishes, iu. tab. 68. | (young.) Turton, Br. Fauna, p. 115. No. 457. At the time Mr Donovan was publishing his work on British fishes, I sent him a drawing of a very minute species of Sucking-fish, accompanied with a description, which he thought proper to publish, and, in compliment, gave it the above title. I had at that time taken only two or three of this very diminutive species, which were, in every respect, similar to each other, and by that circumstance alone, could an opinion be formed as to the probable size of the fish in an adult state. After the third volume of the British Fishes was completed, I sent Mr Donovan another fish of the same genus (which was taken in the same place), double the size of the former, and of a more ro- bust make. By the comparison of these fishes, I really suspected them to be actually belonging to the same species, and that this last was, in fact, only a more matured specimen; but, without mentioning my conjecture to Mr Donovan, I requested him to give me his opinion, which he did, by expres- sing his suspicion that it was of the same species. This confirmed me in my opinion ; for althotigh there 1s a considerable difference both in shape and Ww 92 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES colour, such variation must be attributed to inci- dental circumstances attendant on the infant state, not less observable in many other fishes. I have been equally puzzled with the fry of Cyclopterus bimaculatus, which are of a green colour, minutely speckled with blue, and without the smallest trace of the pectoral spots: in this state, the body is _ proportionally longer, and differs a little in the shape of the fins. The C. Cornubicus, when very young, are also destitute of the two dorsal ocellate blue spots, and the tail is frequently most elegantly barred *. | As this difference might hereafter lead to some confusion without explanation, and as Mr Do- novan has not, in the subsequent part of his work, given any additional figure or description, I have thought it proper to submit a figure of it to the Wernerian Society, together with descrip- tive remarks, The Cyclopterus Montagui, in the adult state, is about two inches long : the body is rounded as far as the vent ; the posterior end somewhat compres- sed : head brash a little depressed, and inflated about the gills: mouth moderately large; both jaws armed with several rows of minute teeth: eyes small, and placed high ; irides, golden; pu- pil, dark blue, and when alive, angulated at the *|The name of this species has lately been unfortu- mately changed for that of oce/latus. OF BRITISH FISHES.° 93 upper corner: the dorsal fin commences a little behind the gill-coverts ; the rays of the anterior part are very obscure; about twenty-six may be counted, which at first are very short, but gradu- ally increase in length, forming a broad fin to- wards the tail ; but those close to the tail are short, giving the termination of this fin a rounded ap- pearance : the anal fin consists of about twenty- four rays, formed similar to the last, but neither unite with the caudal fin: the pectoral and ven- tral fins unite, forming about. twenty-nine rays ; the first is rounded ; in the last, the four or five lower rays are only connected at their base, and the fifth is much the longest, forming an angle at that part: the caudal fin has twelve rays, the outer one shortest, which gives it a slightly round- ed appearance: the opercula of the gills project into an angle: the instrument of adhesion is single, small, circular, and composed of thirteen concave tubercles on the radius; in the disk, which is concave, there are four or five lateral curved lines, originating from each side of a central longi- tudinal line: the vent is far removed from the sucker: the belly is very tumid: the front of the head, above the upper lip, is scalloped with six indentations, beneath which the lip protrudes a little : between the eyes, or a little farther for- ward, are two minute erect tubes; and in front of those, two small holes, probably the nostrils. : The colour is purplish-brown in appearance to the naked eye; but by the assistance of a lens, \ 94 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES \ the ground colour is dull orange, covered with minute confluent spots of the former; the under parts are paler, and about the throat and sucker, white. | This species of Cyclopterus, like the Cornubicus or Jura-sucker of Pennant, inhabits only the rocky parts of the coast, and of course is rarely taken by the dredge: those I have obtained, were taken at extraordinary low tides, among the rocks at Milton, on the south coast of Devon, one in- stance excepted; and the number altogether has not exceeded a dozen. | When it is adhering to a rock, the posterior part of the body is frequently turned to one side, nearly parallel with the anterior part, and the tail brought close to the head. In this particular, however, it is not singular, as the Bimaculated Sucker is frequently observed in that position. This last-mentioned species has something pecu- liar in its eyes, which deserves notice: they are extremely prominent, capable of very consider- able motion, and are independent of each other ; one is frequently turned upwards, while the other is looking downwards; but, what I never could observe in any of the other species is, that the eye revolves within a fixed transparent sphere, which protects that delicate organ. OF BRITISH FISHES. : o5 OPHIDIUM imperse. (Px. LV. Figs 2) Ophidium imberbe, Linn. Syst. p. 431. Gmel. Syst. p- 1147. B. Zool. App. t, 93. Shaw, Zool. iv. D. 70. This species of Opbidium may be considered as one of the most rare of the British fishes, and in- deed so little known as to have caused others to be described for it. Mr Pennant first introduced it into the fauna of British Zoology, but has given no description of it, and the figure above referred to is by no means correct. All we know, there- fore, is that it was taken at Weymouth. None of the more modern authors seem to have identified this fish; but Artedi and Gronoyius are referred to. Gmelin is certainly mistaken in refering to 401 of the latter author ; for that species is not only described to have double the number of rays it actually has in the dorsal fin, but 1s also destitute of caudal fin, which at once separates it from the present subject. Considering it would not be unacceptable to the Society and to the lovers of science in general, to have a good representation of this rare fish to refer to, the drawing of a small specimen lately taken on the south coast of Devon, will accompany, this, and of which the following is a correct de- scription. Length about three inches : depth about a quar- ter of aninch. Pectoral fin furnished with eleven g6 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES rays : dorsal about seventy-seven : anal forty-four : caudal eighteen or twenty. The head is very obtuse, and rounded in front: eyes large, placed forward, and lateral; irides dark, with a circle of silver round the pupil: mouth, when closed, inclines obliquely upwards; the lips are margina- ted: the gill-membranes inflated beneath. ‘The body is ensiform, considerably compressed towards the tail, and in shape is not unlike Cepola rubescens : the lateral line is nearly in the middle, originating at the angleof the operculum to the gills, but rather obscure: vent nearly in the middle: the pectoral fin is rounded : the dorsal fin commences imme- diately above the base of the pectoral, and is at first not so broad, and usually not so erect, as the other part, which accounts for the defect of the fi- gure given in the “ British ‘oology,”’ in not having that fin continued to the head: the anal fin com- mences at the vent, and, together with the dorsal, unites with the caudal fin, which is cuneiform, but obtusely pointed. The colour is purplish-brown, disposed in minute speckles; and along the base of the anal fin are about ten small bluish-white spots regularly placed, but scarcely discernible without a lens, and possibly peculiar to younger fishes: all the fins are like in colour to the body, except the pectoral and caudal; the first is pale, the last is yellowish. It died with its mouth shut, the pectoral fins thrown forwards, and the body curved a little near the vent, throwing the head upwards. “OF BRITISH FisHEs. 0°” of It does not appear to be very tenacious of life, like some of the blennies, as it was placed in atin box with the Crested and Smooth Blenny, covered with wet algz, and although these were lively, the Ophidium was dead before it could be got to my house. - Little can be said of the natural habits of this fish ; but as it so rarely occurs,.it is most probably an inhabitant of the rocky parts; in such a situa- tion at low water, the specimen here described, was taken. | The Ophidium barbatum has been introduced into the catalogue of British fishes, and I believe, was first given as such in Berkenhout’s “ Outlines,”’ but whether on the personal authority of that author, or on what part of the British coast it was observ- ed, no mention is made. Upon comparison of the imberbe with the figures of barbatum deli- neated by Bloch and Dr Shaw, there appears to be a considerable difference in colour and. other particulars, independent of the cirrhi with which the barbatum is furnished, so that if-any doubts have existed with respect to the identity of imberbe as a distinct species, from its very rare oc- ‘currence, the figure which accompanies this des- eription will, it is presumed, remove them. 98 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES BLENNIUS. cangrira. i; (i) ae (Plate V. Fig. 2.) - A FISH, in some particulars corresponding with the description usually given of the Crested Blen- ny, has several times occurred to me on the western coast; but upon comparing it with that described by Gmelin and Dr Turton, there appears such a material difference in the number, of rays in the fins, especially in the dorsal, that either some unaccountable mistake must have ori- ginally happened, or it cannot possibly be the same species. My doubts on this subject are not the least removed by consulting the figure in the British Zoology, in which the dorsal fin is ex- tremely narrow, and continued in a straight line throughout, and the anal fin is of a corresponding breadth ; whereas, on the contrary, in my fish, these Ans are very broad, and the first has a re- markable flexure in the middle; neither possess above half the number of rays they are generally described to have, and that, in so large a number as sixty, is too great a difference to be considered as an accidental variety. Dr Turton says, of these sixty rays, fifty are spinous. This adds new difficulties to our inquiries, since my fish has all the rays soft. OF BRITISH FISHES. - 99 Bloch does not appear to have described this — species ; nor is it figured in the British Fishes. In the General Zoology, British Fauna, and Ele- ments of. Natur al History, the most modern pubii- | cations, no light is thrown on the subj ect ; all that is there said about this blenny 1S Rated and nothing i is to be met with that can reconcile any description I haye been able to examine, or the only. figure. I could consult, with the fish in ques- tion ; yet, unwilling to give it as a new species un- til the subject shall be more thoroughly sifted, (and | which is so much obscured by its rarity), I shall submit the following description of my fish, accompanied by a figure, to the opinion of the ichthyologists of the Wernerian Society, who may choose to offer some remarks upon the subject. Body | rather more slender than the Smooth Blenny. Head much sloped; eyes high up, ap- proximating, gilded; the upper lip furnished with a bony plate that projects at the angles of the mouth into a thin lamina that turns downwards, the ends of which are orange-coloured: on the top of the head, between the eyes, is a trans- verse, fleshy, fimbriated, membrane; the fimbrie of a purplish-brown colour tipped with white: the nostrils furnished with a minute bifid appendage: behind the crest are several minute, erect, filiform appendicula, between that and the dorsal fin, placed longitudinally : the lateral line considera- bly curved near the head: the pectoral fins are G2 I00 ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE §PECIES large and ovate, consisting of twelve rays reaching as far as the vent: the ventral fins, two: uncon- | nected rays: the dorsal fin extends from the head to the tail, consisting of thirty rays, and appears like two distinct fins, by reason of the slope to the thirteenth ray, which is not above half the length of the anterior ones, and the sudden elongation of the fourteenth ray; this fin is very broad, and in one specimen there was an ovate black spot be- tween the first and second ray, and another ob- scure one between the next rays, but this is not a constant character. The anal fin is equally broad, and extends from the vent to the tail, consisting of eighteen rays usually margined with black, and tipped with white: caudal fin slightly rounded, composed of fourteen rays. The colour above is generally olive-green spotted with pale-blue shaded to white; the belly white, and the pectoral fins spotted with orange. Not fewer than eight or ten of this species have come under my inspection, the greater part of which did not exceed an inch and a half in length; but two at present before me measure nearly two inches and a half, and differ in nothing but the spots on the dorsal fin. There is no trian- gular lump on the head, as described by Mr Pen- nant; nor is the crest capable of being erected, at least no voluntary motion could be observed while the fish was examined alive in sea-water ; but this appendage is invariably transverse, and generally OF BRITISH FISHES. Ito.r conic or angular, but sometimes irregularly trun- cated, though always fimbriated. __ “Many of the genus Blennius are more or less crested; but the Ga/erita appears to be the only species hitherto described, which has that appen- dage placed transversely. This, as well as the Gatiorugine, is occasionally taken, with the Pholis or Smooth Blenny, among the rocks on the south coast of Devon, in the pools left by the receding tide, and of these the Gatto- rugine may be esteemed the most rare, as only two Instances have occurred in many years research*. ‘ Cis S93 ‘ * A very respectable author says, the Gattorugine has two pairs of ramified tentaeula on the head, the first pair over the eyes, the other over the back of the head. It is usually described to have only one pair, and those I have examined had only.one branched appendage on each eyebrow, but the nostrils are tubular, and fimbriated. f G3 [ 102° '] V. Elucidation respecting the Pinnai ingens of Pennant’s “ British Zoology.” By Captain J. Laskey, M. W.S. ( Read, 11th June 1808. ) | From the time when Mr Pennant first published his “ British Zoology,” in 1777, a doubt has occurred with regard to this shell, which, to the best of n my knowledge, has never been removed. Singular 2 good fortune having lately brought under my view, the different shells described for Pinna ingens by various authors, I am enabled to describe precisely what Mr Pennant had so indefinitely stated, and by that means, created those doubts under which every writer on conchology has laboured since ; and although the subject of this paper may appear of little importance, I am still confident the eluci- dation of any doubtful point in Natural History, will meet with due attention from this Socicty. ON THE PINNA INGENS. 103 I shall therefore proceed to point out from the works of a few conchological writers, since the time of Pennant, the errors and doubts into which he has led them. The fact is, every writer has followed his own ideas on this subject, no definite distinctive characters having at first been esta- blished. Mr Pennant, in vol. iv. page 115. of his “British Zoology,” states as follows: “ Pinna ““ ingens.—I saw specimens of some vast pinna, “found among the farther Hebrides, in the col- “lection of Dr Walker of Moffat: they were ‘“‘ very rugged on the outside, but I cannot recol- “ lect whether they were of the kind found in the ** Mediterranean or West Indies.”’ Mr Donovan, in his “ Natural History of British _ Shells,’ plate 152., figures and describes a pinna dredged on the coast of Shetland, now in the cabinet of A. Macleay, Esq; and names it Pinna levis. He — is induced to give it this name, he says, “ from the ‘¢ difference to any other shell of this genus before “¢ described, as British,”’ (and adds,) ‘‘ if we are ‘ior mistaken, from. either the Linnean or ‘‘ Gmelinian species of the genus also ;”’ though it appears clear, that if Pennant’s definition of Pinna ingens had been referred to, a strong characteristic would have been found, viz. the ruggedness of the outside. This would have agreed well with Mr Donovan’s description, “ Valves rugose on the ‘ posterior parts.” G4 164 ON THE PINNA INGENS.. Mr Stewart, in his “ Elements of Natural His- “ tory,” mentions, in course, this shell, and says, in vol. ii. page 381. that “a very large- species ‘‘was found by Dr Walker, off the island. of “‘ Barra, in1764, called by him Pinna. borealis.” bee In the “‘ Testacea Britannica,” of that labori- ous and able conchologist, George Montagu, Esq ; page 180., he describes a shell under the name Pinna ingens, discovered by him in Salcombe Bay on the south coast of Devonshire; and he adds a full and circumstantial description of the same, but unfortunately is led into an error by. observing a few concave spines on his specimen ; for which reason he quotes a synonyme from Lister, but with a note of interrogation expressing his . doubt. On referring to this synonyme, and the plate given by Lister, we find the shell to be the Pinna muricata. The similarity’ of shape also tended to mislead this author. Where no perfect description has been given, or any figure or true synonyme to follow it up, vague conjec- ture must necessarily be the result, This ac-. curate conchologist seems, however, to. be the only one who has formed any just idea of the shell of Pennant, as, in his account, page 181., hes gives the description from Pennant, and adds, “‘ Mr Pennant seems to be the only «“ one who has made mention of this shell, and ** that under the denomination of Pinna 1 ingens,” In his “Appendix, page 583, he appears to be | farther confirmed in this opinion, and says, “ This en aed ' ON THE PINNA INGENS. IOS ** species is doubtless the same as Mr Pennant “* noticed in the cabinet of a Walker of - Mof- 66 fat. 99 We next find Pinna i ingens, noticed in the sci ial of the “‘ Linnean Transactions,’’ ina long and elaborate paper on British Conchology, by Dr Maton and the Reverend 'T’. Racket. From their account a doubt also exists with them; for after having noticed the shell described by Mr Montagu, and the one figured by Mr Donovan, they add, “ Specimens from Scotland and the ‘* western coast do not appear to differ; and ~ “ there is great probability that this is the species ** mentioned by Pennant.”’ Having thus pointed out the doubts and errors that have arisen respecting this shell, it falls to my lot to clear up the mystery. ‘This (as already _ hinted) I am fully enabled to do, by having in the first place received specimens from my friend Mr Montagu, of his Pinna ingens'of the western coast, and by having seen the Pinna levis of Dono- van; and lastly, through the kindness of my friend P. Walker, Esq; of Drumsheugh, who obligingly offered me the inspection of the origi- nal specimen, remaining in the cabinet of the . late Dr Walker of Moffat. I am therefore confi- dent in saying, that the Pinna ingens cf Pennant, the Pinna ingens of Montagu, the Pinna levis of Donovan, the Pinna borealis of Stewart, and the t06 ON THE PINNA INGENS. Pinna ingens of the “ Baines Transactions,”’ are one and the same species of shell. It will, perhaps, be agreeable to ccnaidlgied readers, to see Dr Walker’s account of this shell, as transcribed from his MSS. Catalogue raisonnée, pagé 665. inhis own handwriting: “ No. 2268. Pinna “© borealis.~—It was brought up on a fishing-hook ** with the animal alive in it, thirty miles E. N. E. “ of Zetland. Itis different, I think, from all the «© Linnean species, and different also from all those “¢ figured by Gualtieri, Seba, and D’Argenville, “It isthe same with the feaskand (its Gaelic ** name) I found in Barra.” Prez 057 VI. Mineralogical Queries, proposed by Pro- FESSOR JAMESON. | (Read, oth April and 14th May 1808.) TI. Generar QuERIEs. q. Can we discern a general direction and dip of the strata in Great Britain and Ireland; or is not the direction and dip rather con- formable with that of the fundamental rock of the districts where the strata occur * > oo al ES RUE SE *In Humboldt’s “‘ Sketch of the Mineralogy of South «¢ America,’’ in the Fournal de Physique, we meet with the following observations: ‘‘ What I have long said, ‘¢ that the direction and inclination of the primitive stra- ‘“‘ ta, the angles which they form with the meridian of << the place, and with the axis of the earth, are indepen- “ dent of the direction and inclination of mountains ; that ‘¢ they depend on laws ; ; and that they observe a general “ parallelism, which can be founded only in the motion 7 1038 MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. * 2. If there is a general direction and dip of the strata, is it confined to the primitive rocks, or does it not also extend to the transition and flcetz formations? ; | “ and rotation of the earth: What Friesleben, Von Buch, ‘*¢ and Griiner, have proved better than I,—will be found “‘ confirmed, namely, That the succession of the fletz- ‘‘ strata, which was considered as a peculiarity of certain ‘¢ provinces, such as Thuringia and Derbyshire, takes *¢ place generally ; and that there appears an identity in ‘¢ the order of the strata: from whence, there is reason to «¢ conclude, that the same deposition has been effected at ‘¢ the same time over the whole surface of the globe. All ‘* these ideas are of the greatest importance, not only to ‘the philosopher, who endeavours to rise to general ‘‘ principles, but also to the miner, who must conceive in ‘‘ his mind what he has not before his eyes, and guide ‘himself by analogy deduced from actual experience.” ' As the sketch of the geognostic structure of South America, above ailuded to, was written during a journey attended with every difficulty, and transmitted to Europe in the form of letters to different individuals, it is not | surprising that it contains a few errors ; and one of the most striking of these, is contained in the concluding paragraph of the quotation. wherein Humboldt claims for himself, and the celebrated pupils of Werner, Von Buch, Friesleben, and Griiner, the discovery of the universality of formations,—-a doctrine which they, for the first. time, heard proposed and explained by WERNER, at the Acca au ot F reyberg. amt “MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. 109 If a general direction and dip occurs amongst the strata of which the crust of the earth is composed, is it the same in the three great classes of rocks,—in primitive, transition, and “uss hi it probable that iron, and other metals al- ‘lied to it, occur in greater quantity in the north-polar, than the equatorial regions; and. does it appear probable, from the observations hitherto made, that silver and other metal’ _ oryctognostically and geognostically allied to - jt, occur far more abundantly in the equato- 5- I. rial than the polar regions ? Is it probable that quartz will be found to be the oldest rock of the crust of the earth? Il. PartTicuLar QUERIES. A. Geognostical Queries. a. Scotland. ys Does the granular rock, of Fassney- burn in East Lothian, belong to the tran- | ; : ra L190 MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. sition-rocks or the newest fleetz-trap forma- tion * ? Some time ago, I visita Fassney-burn, with the view of ascertaining whether or not this rock was granite, as asserted by Professor Playfair}+. The rock appeared to me, to resemble certain vatieties of sienitic greenstone 5 but I could not afford time to determine its seognostic relation to ,the transition-rocks which form the great proportion of that part of the county. | * Since this query was proposed, Dr Ogilby of Dub- lin has examined the country around Fassney, and: is of opinion, that the rock is greenstone, and belongs to the: transition class. + ‘¢ Another instance of real granite disposed in regu- lar beds, but without any character of gneiss, is one which I saw in Berwickshire, in Lammer-muir, near “ the village of Priestlaw. The little river Fassnet, cuts *¢ the beds across, and renders it easy to observe their “structure. ‘The beds are not very thick; they run “ from about S. 5. W. to N. N. E. like the schistus ‘© on either side of them. I was in company with Sir «© James Hall when I saw these rocks. We examined “‘ them with a good deal of attention, and traced them ‘¢ for more than a mile in the bed of the river; and, if I mistake not, our opinions concerning them were pre- * cisely the same.”’ PLaYFAir’s * [llustrations,’’ p. 328. MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. rir 2. Does claystone occur in beds in the coal- fields of the Lothians ? | Claystone occurs in different parts of the Lothians ; but it appears in general rather to rest upon the coal-formation, than to form. beds in it. It may, however, occur in beds, as a similar rock occurs in beds in the coal-formation of the Plauischen-grunde between Tharand and Dres- den. | 3. Are the geognostic relations of the porphyry- slate of East Lothian, similar to those ob- served in that rock in other countries? At the Girleton Hills near Haddington, the porphyry-slate is associated with claystone-tufft and probably also claystone,—rocks that are not mentioned by Werner, as occurring along ‘with porphyry-slate in Saxony, Bohemia, and other countries. This fact would incline us to con- _ jecture, that the porphyry-slate of that district has something peculiar in its geognostical charac- ters. 4. What are the geognostic relations of the claystone, compact-felspar, and clinkstone, of the Pentland hills near Edinburgh? ‘The fundamental rock of the Pentland hills, is in some places grey-wacke and grey-wacke-slate ; and the newer rocks, viz. those that lie over this older rock, are conglomerate, claystone-tuff, trap- tuff, claystone, compact-felspar, clinkstone, porphyry-slate, and sandstone. I have not as yet 112 MINERALOGICAL OUERTES, been able to determine with certainty to what formation or formations they belong. 5. Are the upper parts of the Lomonds in _ Fifeshire, of Tinto in Lanarkshire, and of the Eilden hills in Roxburghshire, composed of rocks belonging to the newest flcetz-trap- formation ? , From the general naturesof the rocks in Fife- shire, and the conical shape of the Lomonds, it is probable that they are composed of sand- stone, and other older flcetz rocks, which are eaped with rocks of the newest floetz-trap forma- tion*. The rather conical shape of Tinto, a hill . apparently situated in transition country, renders — it probable that rocks of the newest flcetz-trap formation, form at least its upper part. The Eilden hills have also somewhat of a conical shape, are situated in transition country, contain com- pact-felspar, and claystone, and hence they pro- bably belong to the newer ficetz rocks. * Since the above query was proposed, I have visited the Lomonds, and find, that the wester hill is principally composed of sandstone, caped with basalt: the easter hill appears rather to be caped with greenstone, but of ° this I am not perfectly certain. MINERALOGICAL QUERIES, ie 6. To what formation do the Castle-rock of Edinburgh and the Calton-hill belong ? A part of the Calton-hill appears to belong to the newest flcetz-trap formation. The principal rocks are trap-tuff, amygdaloid, and porphyry- slate; but we have still to ascertain, whether or not the whole hill belongs to this formation, and also the nature of its fundamental rock. It would seem that the Castle-rock of Edinburgh 1s also a portion of the same flcetz formation as the Cal- ton- hill. 4. To what formation do Braid-hills, Black- ford-hills, and Craig-Lockart, near Edin- burgh, belong? | It 1s probable, from observations I have made in these hills, that they belong to the newer fleetz rocks. 8. Does the greenstone of Corstorphin-hill be- long to the independent coal-formation ? 9. Does the Bass-rock at the mouth of the Frith of Forth belong to the newest flcetz- trap formation? From the observations of Dr Ogilby, it would appear that clinkstone occurs at the Bass; and - hence it is probable that a portion or the whole of that isle, belongs to the newest floeta-trap for- mation. 3 Hn Li4 MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. ro. Does the Craig of Ailsa in the Frith of Clyde, belong to: the newest flcetz-trap for- mation ? Several years ago, I made a. hasty examination of that rock, and then it appeared to me, in con- formity to the then prevailing ideas regarding sienite, to belong to the sienite-formation. Since that period, I have found, that certain rocks for- merly considered as sienite, are but sienitic-green- stone, and that this greenstone occurs. in primitive and floetz countries; and that these greenstones are distinguished from each other, not only by geognostic, but also by oryctognostic relations. A consideration of the oryctognostic characters of the rock of Ailsa seems to point it out as floetz sienitic-greenstone, and one that debit belongs to the newest fleetz-trap. rr. Does pitchstone occur in beds in the pre- vailing sandstone formation in the island of Arran? A peculiar variety or sub-species of pitchstone ef a green colour, occurs very abundantly in the island of Arran, in the form of veins that traverse granite, sandstone, &c. ‘These veins are some- times parallel with the direction of the strata, and might be confounded with true beds : in other parts of the same highly interesting island, great bodies of pitchstone are to be observed, running parelle! with the strata, in the form of beds, for ‘MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. IIS several miles. Are these masses to be considered as true beds, or veins parallel with the direction of the strata? — 32. What. are the geognostic characters and relations of the porphyritic-rock of the Ochil- hills? As far as I can judge, from that portion of the range of the Ochils I have examined, this rock appears to belong to the same formation as the claystone and felspar of the Pentlands. — 13. What is the extent and mode of distribu- tion of the granite and sienite of Galloway ? In Galloway, I found both the sienite and what appeared to be the newest granite formations, but had not leisuggmto ascertain the geognostic rela- tions of sede which appears to belong» st formation. ares 14. Does the upper part of Ben Nevis belong to the second porphyry formation? And if so, on what rock does this porphyry rest ? And does not the granular rock found in this mountain, rather belong to the sienite than to the oldest granite formation ? | From specimens of that mountain, which I have had an opportunity of examining, its upper part appears to be composed of a dark-coloured, nearly greyish-black, porphyry ; its lower parts H 2 a MINERALOGICAL QUERIES, | of sienite; but I have never seen any specimens, or received any accurate account, of the rocks that form its base, and the neighbouring coun- try. Are we then to consider this great moun- tain as_a portion of the overlying, consequently newest primitive formations, and that the upper part is the second porphyry formation, and the lower probably sienite, or newer granite, or both? 15. Does the porphyry at the fall.of the Brauer, near Blair, in Athol belong to the first or to the second porphyry formation : 16. What are the geognostic characters and relations of the metalliletaue y veins of Tyn- drum? ie 17. Is the granite rock of Loch ¢( verness-shire, old granite, siemite, or newest granite? nee 18. Does the pitchstone of Ardnamurchan, in - Inverness-shire, belong to the newest floetz- trap formation ? 19. Does porphyry occur in beds in the transi- ‘tion mountains of Scotland? Several appearances in the upper par of Dum- friesshire and Lanarkshire, seem to intimate that a porphyry, or a remarkably porphyritic MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. Tif? greenstone, occurs in the grey-wacke and grey- wacke slate of these districts. 20. Does the granite of Aberdeen and Peter- head, belong to the oldest or to the newest granite formation ° ai. Is the granular quartz of the islands of Isla and Jura subordinate to mica-slate, or does it constitute a distinct formation ? In my Outline of the Mineralogy of the Scottish Isles, this rock is particularly described; and I have mentioned its alternation with a passage in- to mica-slate, facts that render it probable that it is subordinate to mica-slate. The opinion, how- ever, cannot be considered as absolutely certain, until the rocks of Isla and Jura be again examin- ed. | 22. Are the Cullin mountains in the island of Skye, composed of rocks belonging to the new- est flcetz-trap or to the second porphyry for- mations: or do they contain both of these formations ? 23. What are the geognostic relations and characters of the Scure Eigg, one of the Hebrides ? oF ; : The Scure Eigg, of which I have given an ac- count in my mineralogical description of the island. H 3 118 MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. of Eigg, is one of the most magnificent assemblages of natural columns, hitherto noticed by any natu- ralist. The rock of which these columns are composed is porphyritic, with a base intermediate between basalt and pitchstone. It appears to be- long to the newest floetz-trap formation. 24. What are the rocks of which the island of Staffa is composed, and what are their geo- gnostic relations ? The columnar distinct concretions, or pillars of Staffa, are said to rest upon trap-tuff ; but the true - nature of these pillars has not been hitherto dis- tinctly ascertained. 25. Is the porphyry of the isle of Raasay, porphyritic claystone, and porphyry-slate ? 26. What are the geognostic relations of the tremolite and zoisite of Glenelg in Inver- . ness-shire ° 27. Does the sandstone of the Shetland islands belong exclusively to the oldest coal forma- tion, or do different sandstone formations oc- cur there * * The Reverend Mr Fleming, in a paper read before the Society, has rendered it probable that the sandstone ef Shetland belongs to the oldest coal formation. MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. - 119. ‘38. What are the geognostic characters and relations of the ores of Sandlodge in Shet- land? | ' 29. Does the claystone, &c. of Papa Stour, one of the Shetland islands, belong to the newest floetz-trap or to the coal formation I have described the claystone and other simi- lar rocks of Papa Stour, under the name wacken in my account of that island, because wacken and clay- stone were formerly considered by mineralogists as varieties of the same species. ‘The occurrence of this rock, along with a kind of tuff resembling that found in the fleetz-trap formation, would in- cline me to consider it as belonging to the trap formation, did not its intimate connection with the sandstone which forms the base of the island, (and which does not appear to belong to the new- est fleetz-trap, but rather to the independent coal formation, or some of the particular sandstone for- mations), seem to refer it to the coal or sandstone formations. Data are still wanting for the deter- mination of this interesting point *. * Since this query was proposed, the Reverend Mr Fleming; ina paper read before the Society, refers this claystone, and its accompanying rocks, to the coal forma- tion, H 4 EZ Gx. MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. 30. Does the serpentine of the islands of Unst and Fetlar, belong to the first or to the second serpentine formation ? | As a great proportion of this serpentine is the precious sub-species, it may, notwithstanding its great extent and breadth in these islands, be found to belong to the first or oldest formation. 31. Does the rock of the Hill of Kinnoul, near ) Perth, belong to the flcetz-trap or to the new-~ est flcetz-trap formation ? 32. Is the mountain of Cairnsmuir, in Galloway, composed of the oldest granite ? 33. What are the extent, and particular geo- gnostic relations, of the black pitchstone of Eskdale-muir in Dumfriesshire ? As this pitchstone lies over transition rocks, and is associated with clinkstone, it would ap- pear to belong to the newest floctz-trap forma. tion *. 34. Does the black pitchstone of the Cheviot * Vid. ‘* Mineralogy of Dumfriesshire.” MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. - I2I . hills belong to the newest floetz-strap forma- ; tion * ° a _ 35. What are the particular species of petri- factions that occur in the transition-lime- stone, near the Crook, on the road from Edinburgh to Moffat ? 36. Does not the hill on which the town of Stirling is built, belong to the oldest aig? formation ? 37. What are the geognostic characters and re- lations of the veins that traverse, or are in- cluded in, the greenstone of the independent coal-formation? — 38. Are the trap veins that traverse the mining field at Strontian, basalt, greenstone, or por- phyry-slate ; or do all these mary of rock occur in that district? 39. Are the leadglance veins of Strontian si- tuated in sienite ; and what are their other geognostic relations ? _ 40. Does the quartz-rock of Scuraben and Mor- ven in Caithness, and of Portsoy in Banff- * Dis Cheviot pitchstone was first observed by iby friend Mr Murray, Lecturer on Chemistry. 122 - MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. shire, occur in an unconformable and over- lying position ; or does it belong to theicom- formable primitive-rocks, as clay-slate or mi- ca-slate? b. England. 1. Does the granite of Cornwall belong to the oldest or to the newest granite formation ; or do both formations occur in that county ? 2. Is the shorl-rock of Cornwall disposed in an uncomformable and overlying position in re- gard to the older rocks? If this be its post- tion, on what rock or rocks does it rest, and what are its other geognostic relations ? 3. Does the serpentine of Cornwall belong to the first or to the second serpentine formation; and what are the imbedded and venigenous fossils it contains ? 4. What are the characters of the different ve- nigenous formations in Cornwall? Are any of them identical with those described by Wer- ner *, Mohs +}, Friesleben fT, and others ? * «Theory of Veins,” translated by Dr Charles Ander- son of Leith, 1809. + Beschreibung des Gruben Gebaudes Himmelsfurst, von F, Mohs, 1804. me ¢ Mineralog Bemerkungen bei gelegeneit eines Reise durch den merkwurdigsten theil der Harzge- birges, von Friesleben, 1795. MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. . I23° 5. Do the inclined slaty strata, in the vicinity of Plymouth, belong to the transition class of rocks? . | Mr Professor Playfair, in his eloquent work, the “ Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory,” maintains that they are primitive: to me they ap-. pear to be transition. 6. Does the upper part of the mountain of Cader-Idris, in Wales, belong to the newest floetz-trap formation? My friend, Colonel Fullerton of Bartokholsn, shewed me specimens from the summit of Cader- Idris, all of which proved to be porphyry-slate ; hence I infer, that a part, if not the whole, of the summit of this mountain, belongs to the new- est floetz-trap formation. 7, Are not the mountains in Cumberland prin- cipally composed of transition rocks, partially covered with the newest flcetz-trap forma- tion? Some late. writers consider the rocks of Cum- berland as primitive; but from the information communicated to me, and the specimens from that county in my possession, 1 am inclined to refer a considerable portion of them to the transi- tion class. 8. Is not the porphyry of Cumberland in gene- ral porphyry-slate ? 124 MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. 9. Does the gypsum of Cumberland belong to the first or to the second hitb diy for- mation ? 10. Is the salt formation of Chesshire identical with the rock-salt formation of Werner *, or is 1t newer? tr. Is the Bath-stone newer or older than ehalk z2. Does chalk ever contain the remains of quadrupeds +? 3 13. What are the geognostic relations and characters of the fullers-earth of Hampshire, _ Bedfordshire, and Surry ? , The fullers-earth of Saxony, as I have mention- ed in my “ System of Mineralogy,” occurs along * Jameson’s “‘ Elements of Geognosy,”’ p. 174. + Mr Aitken, in his valuable ‘‘ Dictionary of Che- mistry,’’ remarks, ‘ It (chalk) contains, in abundance, ** the relics of marine organized bodies, such as echinites, ‘¢ glossopetre, pectinites, &c. and also, not unfrequently, “¢ the hard parts of amphibious and sand animals, as the * heads and vertetre of crocodiles, and teeth of ele- «‘ phants.”” As the occurrence of elephants’ teeth in chalk, is not mentioned by any other naturalist, and as Mr Aitken gives no description of the places where this very remarkable appearance has been observed, the above query will not be considered as improper. MINERALOGICAL QUERIES. 125 with greenstone-slate, and hence is to be consider- ed asof primitive formation ; but the fullers-earth of England, is evidently a floetz formation, and appears to occur in beds, in a particular kind of sandstone which forms the fundamental rock of the chalk formation *. This is all we know of the English fullers-earth,—a proof how much remains to be done before we can consider our knowledge of its geognostic relations as complete and satisfac- tory. 14. Does the limestone of Derbyshire, belong to the transition class ? * Aitken’s ‘ Dictionary of Chemistry,” article Ful- _ Jers-earth. a | p s226n0h VII. On the Transition Greenstone of Fassney. By James Ocitsy, M.D, (Read, 10th December 1808. ) In consequence of a query proposed by Profes- sor Jameson, I was led to a minute examination of a very interesting rock which occurs at Fassney- burn, in that part of the Lammermuir range of mountains forming the southern boundary of East Lothian. For the purpose of exactly ascertaining its geognostic situation, I began my examination immediately below Herd’s Hill, near the source of the rivulet called Fassney which, at about three miles north-east of this spot, has uncovered the rock in question. ‘This precaution was the more necessary, as the same obstacle to the researches of the mineralogist presents itself in this moun- tainous district, as in other parts of the.county of East Lothian. ‘The highest of the hills does not much exceed 1500 feet. (he rocks are decom- —_—" TRANSITION GREENSTONE OF FASSNEY. 127 posable, favourable to vegetation, and no ges visible except in the beds of rivulets. In the bed of the rivulet south of Herd’s Hill, there occurs an alternation of very thick beds*of Grey-wacke and Grey-wacke-slate. These beds are stratified: their direction corresponds with that of the mountain range, which runs nearly north-north-east, and south-south-west. ‘The dip is north-westerly, and the angle of inclination about 60°. The beds of grey-wacke-slate are the - most considerable in thickness, and I understand, have been worked to some extent, for roofing, by Mr Knox, but ‘without much success. Following the course of the water, I came upon a curious porphyritic rock, having a basis of com- pact felspar, approaching to claystone, with nu- merous small imbedded crystals of quartz, and a few of felspar. ‘This stone has a striking resem- blance to one of the members of the overlying porphyry formation; but as we have only an op- portunity of examining a very small portion of the bed, it is difficult to say, whether it is Felspar Porphyry, a variety of Compact Felspar, or of Claystone. ‘This bed is six or eight feet thick, is conformable with the strata of Grey-Wacke, and must therefore be regarded as of the same forma- tion. Another bed of this rock, but thinner, is met with a little to the westward, with strata of grey-wacke intervening. * ‘128 | ON THE TRANSITION GREENSTONE ~ Still lower down the brook, to the north-east, I “met with three stratified beds of a singular variety of Greenstone, alternating with strata of grey- 'wacke, and in all respects conformable. ‘These beds are from six or eight, to ten or twelve feet in thickness, and are almost entirely composed of ‘compact felspar, with very little hornblende, which is generally of a light greenish-grey colour, and of a slender acicular form ; but sometimes the colour is red; and in this case it is very decom- posable, and by falling out, leaves the stone vesi-_ cular. One of these beds has been worked for milistones; but I should suppose it must be an indifferent material for that purpose. It contains iron-pyrites,—one of the characters which enables us to discriminate between Sienite and Sienitic Greenstone. aha Proceeding still down the water to the north- east, and leaving behind us the usual Transition rocks, we come toathin bed of Sienitic Green- stone, resting immediately upon the grey-wacke, and covered by a bed of great thickness, of a dis- tinct granular aggregate rock, composed of. red- dish-white or flesh-red felspar, greenish-black hornblende, and brownish-black mica. ‘This bed is made up of strata from one to three feet in thickness, corresponding in direction, dip, and in- clination, with those of the grey-wacke, above and below it. It alternates occasionally with the above Sienitic Greenstone, and with thick beds of : OF FASSNEY. 129 a disintegrated rock, composed of felspar, horn- blende, and mica; and these continue, with little interruption, for nearly a mile down the brook, a _ little to the eastward of Mill Know, where the grey wacke again comes in, and upon which they rest. ; alts The uncommon thickness of the beds of this beautiful rock, and the covered state of:the coun- try, rendered it very difficult to ascertain its geo- enostic relations ; but I soon satisfied myself, by at- tending to the course of the water, that the thick- ness is in a great measure only apparent, and that the same strata were cut by the water three times in pursuing a very serpentine course. ‘This de- ception is easily made apparent, by drawing lines through the course of the stream, as delineated on the map. Small veins of heavy-spar, from one inch to four in thickness, occur in this rock. As this rock contains mica in addition to felspar, it might be supposed, by those who only attended in a superficial manner to oryctognosy, to be essen- tially different from either Sienite or Greenstone, and to deserve a particular name. But a number - of reasons here lead us to conclude, that the mica isan accidental or adventitious ingredient, similar to crystals of felspar in basalt, or garnets in mica-slate, by which the general characters of these rocks, or their names, are not affected. A specimen taken at a little distance from the water, favours the supposition; it approaches to common greenstone, by the felspar assuming a white co- I 130 SIENITIC GREENSTONE OF FASSNEY. lour, and the mica diminishing in quantity. The geognostic characters enable us to distinguish it _ sufficiently from Sienite. The name Szenitic Greenstone, as used by Pro- fessor Jameson, for this rock, appears to me hap- pily chosen, and quite unobjectionable. This rock has been strangely confounded with Granite, by Dr Hutton and Mr Playfair; and I shall conclude with a quotation from the ‘ Illus- ‘¢ trations’? of that system by the latter, with a view of pointing out to those who are inclined to admire the Huttonian Theory, one of the nume- rous and glaring errors upon which it has been founded. : «« Another instance,’’ says Mr Playfair, ‘ of “ real Granite, disposed in regular beds, but ‘¢ without any character of Gneiss, is one which I “* saw in Berwickshire, in Lammermuir, near the ‘‘ village of Priestlaw. The little river of Fass- ‘“‘ net cuts these beds across, and renders it easy “ to observe their structure,’’ &c. We may ask, Where was Granite ever seen — without Quartz, and united with Hornblende, and in such a situation? be agen] VIII. Description of a Small-headed Nar- wal, cast ashore in Zetland. _. By the Rev. Jonn Friemine, F.A.5. ‘Minister of Bressay, Zetland. (Read, 10th December 1808. ) ‘Tue Narwal, or Unicorn-fish, which I am now to describe, was found close by the shore, at the entrance of the Sound of Weesdale, in ‘Zetland, on the morning of the 27th September 1808. The fishermen who live in the neighbourhood of the Sound, observed it entangled among the rocks on the preceding day ; and when they went to bring it ashore, they found it dead, though still warm. By the orders of Mr Ross of Sound, it was carefully conveyed to the neighbourhood of his house, and was preserved untouched for several days, until I should have an opportunity of examining it. His anxiety in this instance to forward mydesign of investigating the Natural History of Zetland, I am Happy to have this op- portunity of mentioning with respectful gratitude. 12 132 DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. In order to give as complete a description as possible of this curious animal, I shall first advert to its external appearance; compare these with the account given by M. La Cepéde of the Small- headed Narwal; then take notice of those parts of its internal structure, which my slight acquaint- ance with anatomy enabled me to investigate ; and lastly, point out those circumstances which seem to distinguish the Common Narwal from - the species now under consideration. The animal measured only twelve feet from the snout to the notch which divides the tail. It was much smaller, therefore, than those which have been found in other seas. A narwal of the same species, we are informed by La Cepéde*%, was tound at Boston, in the month of February 1800, which measured above twenty-six feet in length ; and another of the same kind, described by Tulpius+, was about twenty-two feet long. From these circumstances, it appears exceedingly probable, that the Zetland narwal had not at- tained its full size, but was a young animal. The bead of this narwal occupied about a seventh part of the total length of the bedy. In * «¢ Histoire Naturelle des Cetacées,’’ 4to, p. 160. + “ Observ. Medic.” DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. 133 general, however, according to La Cepéde, the head occupies only a tenth part of the length of the body, or nearly so. The forehead rose sud- denly from the snout, as may be seen in the plate *, and then proceeded nearly in a horizontal direc- tion, for a few inches, when it became slightly elevated. Over this elevations in the forepart of which the blowhole, afterwards.to be noticed, is situated, the head was four feet two inches and a half in circumference. The forepart of the head was rounded, and when viewed from be- fore, resembled a ball. Behind this elevation on the head, there was a slight depression, which served to point out the line of separation between the head and the body. The back swelled gradually, to within a few inches beyond the paws, (or pectoral fins), where it appeared to be thickest. There was a slight elevation on the back, immediately above the genitalia. From this elevation, a small ridge proceeded, which continued to within a few inches of the division of the tail. Over the be- ginning of this ridge, the body was four feet four inches in circumference. On the belly, there was likewise a ridge extending from the anus to the tail. On both sides of the animal, there were likewise ridges, similar to those on the back and under-side of the body. ‘ihese ridges com- menced near the middle of the body, and increas- i3 * Plate VI. e 134 DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL, ed in height as they approached the tail, with the edges of which they at last coalesced. The ani« mal was thickest in the middle, continuing nearly of the same thickness towards the head, but be- coming lengthcne. or acuminated towards the tail. Owing to these ridges above described, the - body appeared of a quadrangular form, especially towards the tail. The mouth was somewhat pointed bufore,, and the upper lip extended a little way beyond the under. The extent of the opening of the mouth was small, being little more than five inches in depth. . The eye was situated behind the opening of the mouth, and nearly under the blowhole. It was about an inch in diameter. The orbit was oval; the pupil black; the iris of a chesnut colour ; and the sclerotic coat, white. There were two swimming-paws, (if I may be allowed the expression), corresponding to the pec- toral fins in fishes, situated in the forepart of the . body towards the under-side. ‘These were thirty inches distant from the snout, fifteen inches long, five inches broad at the base, and six inches broad towards the middle of the paw. ‘They were pointed and wedge-shaped, thickest in the forepart, and thinnest behind. The distance be- tween the extreme points of both paws, measuring across the body, was forty-six inches. The di- mensions of these swimming-paws, must be con- sidered as uncommonly small, when compared ' DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. 135 with the size of the animal. In all probability, they serve only the purpose of rudders in chan- ging the direction of the course ofthe animal, and do not aid its progressive motion in any consider- able degree. | » The tail was placed in a horizontal position, as in the other genera of the cetacea. It was di- vided by a slight indentation into two lobes of equal size. The outer edge of the lobes, did not extend farther than three inches beyond the notch which separated them. The lobes of the tail were pointed and turned fromthe body, and the distance between their extreme points, was thirty- two inches. Like the fore-paws, the tail was wedge-shaped, thickest in the middle, and grow- ing thin towards the edges. ‘This part of the a- nimal appears to be the principal organ of ad- vancing motion. This narwal had one tooth projecting from the left side of the upper jaw, and pointing a little downwards. There was no external appearance of any tooth on the right side ; and in the cranium itself, only a small canal was observable, but no appearance of atooth. The external length of the tooth was twenty-seven inches, and the remaining portion of the base inserted in the socket twelve inches, thus making its whole length thirty-nine inches. The weight was twenty-eight ounces. In diameter at the base, where it entered the up- per lip, one inch and a quarter. It was spirally ‘grooved or twisted, and striated from right to left, 14 136 © DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. and tapered from the external base to the point, which was blunt and solid. The portion of the tooth concealed in the skull was cylindrical and — hollow. The tooth of the Narwal found at Boston, was equal to one-third of the length of the animal ; in this specimen, it was little more than one-fifth. There is the figure of the head of a Narwal of this kind, given by La Cepéde, (Plate ix. fig. 1.), in which there are two teeth of equal length. Occasionally, in the young narwals, but rarely in) the old ones, two teeth have been found, the one tooth in general considerably smaller than the other.. When these animals become old, they seldom possess more than one tooth, and have no external appearance of another on the other side of the lip, so that it is probable one of the teeth falls out when the animal is of a certain age, the skin then uniting and covering the socket. La Cepéde supposes that the teeth of the ani- mal are often broken, when combating with masses of ice in which it gets entangled ; by its battles with other whales, or by its striking at the planks of vessels: and in this fanciful manner, he seems to account for the ceneral absence of one We the teeth in the older animals ae *If the account of the manners of the Narwal, given us by Egede in his Description of Greenland, deserves any credit, we ought perhaps to be surprised at the exis- tence of any tooth at all in the head of that animal. “ Fur- ‘¢ thermore, (says the Greenland Missionary), this horn DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. 137 The Narwal now under consideration was a male. The external organs of generation were situated in a groove, seven inches long, and nearly five feet distant from the tail. The anus was placed about four feet from the-tail. The colour of this singular animal was a dusky black on the upper parts of the body, variegated with still darker spots not very apparent. The belly was of a white colour. On the. sides there were numerous spots of anoblong figure, and placed | horizontally, or in a direction with the length of the body. The skin was smooth and glossy. The scarf-skin was extremely thin and pellucid, and easily separated from the true skin. The true skin was nearly a quarter of an inch in thickness, and was closely united to the fat. On the sides, where the spots were chiefly situated, numerous dark-coloured fibres traversed the skin in a direc- tion perpendicular to its surface. The exterior ends of these blackish fibres, appeared to unite and constitute the spots. The spots on the Narwal of Boston, according to La Cepéde, were deepest and most numerous on the head, the top of thenose, the most elevated part of the back, on the paws, «¢ serves many other ends: as to stir up his food from « the bottom of the sea, as he is said to feed upon small ‘¢ sea-weeds, and likewise therewith to bore holes in the ice, in order to fetch fresh air.’’-Egede’s Greenland, translation, Lond. 1745, p. 79. 138 DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. and on the tail. Inthe ‘Zetland Narwal the.spots on these places were united, and the skin nearly of a uniform colour. The animal was entirely surrounded with a layer of fat or spick. ‘The fat was very closely connected to the skin, and was about an inch and a half in thickness. It yielded, upon boiling, a- bout three gallons of oil, of bad quality. From an inspection of the outline of the fore- head, it would be impossible to form a just idea of the shape or size of the skull. For there was a mass of fat like a cushion which rested on the forehead, as if calculated to defend the animal from bruises on that part.. The skull was con- cave before, and much depressed and lengthened towards the nose; and in this lengthened part of the forehead, the mass of fat was contained. I now proceed to mention those parts of its in- ternal structure, which I had an opportunity of investigating. — The tongue was long ind rounded at the extre- mity. It was closely connected with the under jaw. At the base of the tongue were numerous follicles, with very perceptible orifices, which poured out a thick white mucous fluid. The stomach was divided into several apart- ments. The extent of its internal surface must be greatly increased, by numerous cylindrical papille, (some of them more than two inches long), which were dispersed over it. There were * DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. 139 a few remains of animals of the order mollusca in it, and the intestines were filled with a greenish coloured fluid. | _. The deart, as in other whales, consisted of two auricles and two ventricles. It was of a qua- drangular form, and considerably compressed. The lungs occupied a considerable proportion of the cavity of the thorax. ‘They rose high in the chest and were not, as in most animals, divided into small lobes. ‘The trachea was short, owing to the shortness of the neck, and divided into four branches or bronchi. The upper part of the trachea terminated in a cartilaginous cavity, ha- ving its diameter somewhat larger than the trachea. From this cavity proceeded a tube, opening longi- tudinally, so as to act like a valve. Lach side of the tube consisted of two solid cartilaginous parts, united before, and connected with each other by a strong muscular membrane, the two sides likewise being joined by a similar membrane. The upper end of this tube was surrounded with acartilaginous ring. When this tube or valve was open, as represented in the plate *, the passage from the nares to the lungs was perfectly free ; but when it was closed, nothing could then enter the lungs. This tube or valve was placed . in the posterior part of the blowboles or nasal openings. * Plate Vi. Fig. 3. 540 DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. The blowholes* or nares were united at the pos- terior part into one tube, destined to receive the upper end of the trachea. In passing through the skull they were separated from each other by a bonny septum. ‘This division of the nares ceased a few inches before it reached the external open- ing. Between the anterior end of this septum and. the exterior orifice of the nares, there were two cavities situated, one on each side, immediately under the skin. Each of these cavities was capa- ble of containing about an English pint of water. in regard to the use of these cavities or bags, we can only hazard the conjecture, that they may probably aid the animal in the act of respiration. The external opening of the nares was in the form - of a crescent, the forks of which pointed towards the forehead, and it was about an inch and a half in diameter. The preceding description, which I have de- tailed with all possible fidelity and accuracy, by no means corresponds with the account of the Common Narwal, as given us by La Cepéde, the -latest writer on the order Cetaceae It agrees, however, pretty nearly with the account of the & * Whales seldom throw out water in any quantity through the nares, but the act of respiration merely pro- duces a hissing noise ; hence I have employed the term Slowdbo/rs instead of spout-holes, as being more appropri- ate and just. | : DESCRIPTION OF ANARWAL, —s-_ 24 Small-headed Narwal, Je Narwal microcéphale of that author, a species unknown to Linnzus. I shall now briefly state those particulars in _ which the Common Narwal and this Small-headed kind differ from each other, as pointed out by La Cepéde, in his descriptions of the two species. The general form of the Common Narwal is ovoid: the other species is somewhat conical, thickest towards the forepart of the body, and lengthened towards the tail. The tooth of the - Common Narwal never exceeds one-fourth of the length of the body ; whereas, in the other species, the tooth is sometimes equal to nearly one-third of the length of the animal. The back of the com- -mon Narwal is raised and convex; in the other, rather flat and even. The head of the common Narwal is large in proportion to the body, being equal to one-fourth of the whole length; the head of the other is small, being only one-tenth of the length of the body. The head of the Narwal which I examined, was equal to one-seventh part of the whole length: but I am of opinion, that this animal, as formerly said, had not attained its full size, nor consequently, its adult proportions. The lobes of the tail of the Common Narwal are rounded, and turned from the body; in the other species, they are likewise rounded, but bent to- wards the body, like the flukes of an anchor. I must remark, however, that in the specimen which T examined, the tail did not agree with either of 142 DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. those descriptions ; on the contrary, it was pointed and turned from the body, as represented in the second figure *, In the common Narwal, acrest - or ridge extends from the blowhole, along the back, to-the tail; in the other species, the ridge commences only at the middle of the back, and continues to the tail. If the figures given by La Cepéde, of the two species of Narwals, could be depended upon as correct, even the colour delineations of the body would afford a good mark of discrimination. In the figure of the Small-headed Narwal, which La Cepéde informs us, he copied from a drawing by Mr Brand, the spots are somewhat round, and very distinct from each other ; in the other species, the spots on the tail are represented as of a round- ish form, but’the large spots on the sides are of no determinate figure, being much indented and branched. The curiously shaped spots indeed of the common Narwal, as represented by La Ce-. “péde, are calculated to excite the suspicion, that the whole is more a picture from fancy, than a true copy of nature. _ The characters now detailed, seem to point out the necessity of adding another species to the ge- nus Monodon of Linneus, and likewise of chan- ging the trivial name monoceros, which he bestowed * Plate VI. Fig. 2. DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. 143 on the only species known to him. But we are by no means equally satisfied as to the propriety of changing the Linnzean name of the genus, as has been done by La Cepéde. We are fully persuaded, that the eager desire which the naturalists of France have of late dis- played, to multiply unnecessarily the names of genera; to alter the received language of natural history ; and wantonly to change the names em- ployed by the father of natural science, ought to be condemned. It certainly has a direct tendency to introduce confusion into natural history, and thereby render a study, pleasant in itself, both irk- some and laborious. | In natural history, the generic characters ought to be taken from appearances or marks, constant and uniform, and common to every species of the genus. The name of the genus ought to express some striking circumstance in the history, econo- my, or structure of the most common or interest- ing species. In these respects, the generic name Monodon (or one-tooth), is well chosen, as it ex- presses one of the most obvious and-striking pecu- liarities in the appearance of both species. In op- position, however, it may be said, that Narwals have been found with two teeth, and therefore the name Monodon ought not to be given to the ge- nus. But as this circumstance occurs extremely seldom, only two instances being on record, it can never justify a change in the name of the genus given by Linnzus. f 144 DESCRIPTION;‘OF A NARWAL. If the French naturalist was offended at the ge- neric name Monodon, as leading to a false conclu- sion, he ought to have substituted another in its. place not liable to such an objection. But in en- deavouring to do this, we are persuaded, he has committed as great, if not a greater error, than the one he was attempting to correct :—Jncidit in Scyllam, cupiens evitare Charybdin. La Cepéde informs us, that according to Wil- loughby, Wormius, and Klein, the name Narwal, (from which La Cepéde has formed his generic name Narwalus), is derived from “ Nar, which “‘ in many languages of the North, signifies a “ dead body, and from Wal or Whal, a whale.” Now, from the meaning of the word, as thus ex- plained, it would be natural to conclude, that the - species of the genus Narwalus subsisted on the dead or putrid bodies of fishes and other marine animals. But the language of La Cepéde himself is hostile to such a conclusion. He informs us, that the food of the Narwal consists of worms and fishes * ; that it often pierces them with its tooth, — and by means of its flexile lips conveys them to its mouth. ‘The generic name, therefore, proposed * << J] aime, parmi les mollusques, ceux que l’on a ‘* nommeés planorées ; il paroit préférer, parmi les pois- *« sons, les pleuronectes poles.’ Hist. Nat. des Cetacées, p- I53. — DESCRIPTION OF ANARWAL. 145 by La Cepéde, if adopted, would have a tendency — to produce error ; whereas, the generic name Mo- nodon, of the Swedish Naturalist, expresses one of the most striking appearances of the two spe- cies of which the genus consists; and, what is of equal importance, it has been long received, and. generally adopted. It has not only been em- ployed by Linnzus, but by Artedi, Miller, Bon- naterre, Fabricius, and other eminent natura- lists. The two species of narwals, mentioned above, may perhaps be distinguished from each other, by the following specific characters : 1. Monopon vulgaris. Common Narwal. Unicorn Narwal. Shaw, Gen. Zool, vol. ii. part 2. tab. 225.p. 473- , Le Narwal vulgaire, Narwalus vulgaris. La Cepéde, Hist. Nat. des Cet. pl. iv. fig. 3. p..142. Narhval, Unicornu marinum,. Unicorn-fish. Pon- top. Nat. Hist. Norw. pl. p. 113. part 2. Pp. 137- Narwhale, or Unicorn. Egede, Desc. of Greenland, Ol. Vv: p. 76. - Figure approaching to ovoid: the head equal to one-fourth of the whole length: A ridge ex- tending from the tail to the blowhole : tail di- _- vided ; lobes rounded. | 140 DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. Pham 2. Monopvon microcepbalus. a Nar: wal. Le Narwal microcéphale. Narwalus sbicieeaaties La Cepéde, Hist. Nat. des Cet. Phe v. fig. 2. Pp. T59- ‘ Body of a conical shape : head blunt, and equal to one-tenth of the whole length: the ridge ex- tending from the tail to the middle of the back: tail divided; lobes pointed. oman 4 Plate VI. Fig. 1, Represents a side view of the Monodon icrocephalus. : Fig. 2. The under-side of the animal. a. The sulcus containing the organs of generation, JB. The anus. Fig. 3. a. The arytenoid cartilages, forming the valvular tube, which enters the nares, and © through which the animal breathes. 6. A lateral view of the thyroid cartilage. c. A side view of ; the back part of the cricoid cartilage. d. A por- tion of the trachea. | —_—_ SUPPLEMENT. Since the above account was written, I have been able to collect a few more particulars con- cerning the Small-headed Narwal, which I shall take the liberty to communicate. . In La Cepéde’s account of the Small-headed Narwal, he mentions, that it was found in the sh of} TIN 7 iL”, ia Zz bi Lund LLL + Ad | va ae pee : ate 5 } DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. | 149 seas which wash the coast of Boston, in lat. 40% evidently meaning Boston in America. As Dr Shaw has mentioned the occurrence of one at Boston in Lincolnshire, and as La Cepéde re-- ceived his drawing and description from Sir Joseph Banks, I began to suspect that they refer- red to one and the same specimen, and that the simi- larity in the name of the place had occasioned the mistake. In order to satisfy myself on this subject, I made known my suspicion to Sir Joseph Banks, who, ina letter, dated 19th January 18009, politely communicated the following information, which | completely confirms the truth of my conjecture. When speaking of the Zetland narwal (which I had mentioned to him) he says, “ I agree with ‘¢ you in thinking it the same species as that des- *“‘ cribed by La Cepéde, whose information was ‘*‘ wholly derived from me;’’ and adds, “ that a ‘‘ note under the drawing, stated it to have been ‘** taken at Frieston, a village near Boston in Lin- *‘colnshire. The animal, when found, had buried “the whole of its body in the mud of which the ** beach there is composed, and seemed safely and “securely waiting the return of the tide. A fisher- “man going to his boat, saw the horn, which ** was covered up, and trying to pull it out of the “mud, raised the animal, who stirred himself “« hastily to secure his horn from the attack.’ How are we to account for such carelessness and inaccuracy in La Cepéde ! K2 £48 DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAL. There is a drawing given of the Boston Narwal, by Mr Sowerby, in his ‘“ British Miscellany,’” tab. 9. Although La Cepéde and Mr Sowerby profess to delineate the same animal, their draw- ings do not quite agree. In neither do the swim- ming-paws and tail seem copies of nature. Mr Sowerby, I may observe, as well as Dr Shaw, has fallen into the mistake (if, indeed, it be a mis- take) of considering it as the Monodon monoceros of Linnzus, or Common Narwal, whereas it is apparently the small-headed kind. Only this last species, therefore, can yet be ranked in the Bri- tish Fauna. I must also remark, that he has used a very strange liberty in his plate: he tells us, that the Boston or Lincolnshire specimen, ‘‘ perfectly agreed (to use his own words) with “ the name given by Linnzus, in having but one * tooth looking like a horn; but on examining “the upper jaw, it was very evident that the ‘‘ other tooth had been lost; and we have since ‘« (he adds) seen a perfect skeleton of the head “ of the animal, with the ¢wo teeth fixed in their ** proper sockets.’’ Because he had thus seen what he calls a perfect specimen, (which may probably be the one formerly in the Leverian Museum), he has thought himself warranted to give a second tooth to the Boston narwal, and thus to represent it in his plate. Such liberties can- not be allowed in the construction of drawings of objects in natural history. BreEssay, sid gd September 1809. IX. On Colouring Geognostical Maps. By Professor JAMESON. (Read 9th April 1808.) Iw constructing geognostic maps, after having delineated the aspect of the surface of the country we have examined, our next business is to exhibit, as far as possible, by means of colouring, a true and harmonious representation of the alternation, extent, and relative position, of the different rocks that appear at its surface. Various methods have been adopted for accomplishing this object. In some maps the boundaries of the different rocks are marked by a continuous or dotted line, and the inclosed space representing the rock, by a particular symbol; in others the inclosed spaces are distinguished by lines running in different directions, or by dotts of various magnitudes ; lastly, in others the inclosed spaces are coloured. Of all these, this last is the preferable method, and is besides that which has been most generally eS oe 150 ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. followed. Butit is liable to some objections; for example, it only points out the different rocks ; it does not make us acquainted with their geogno- stic relations ; and the colours hitherto chosen to represent the various rocks, are so very different from each other, that maps coloured in this man- ner have a disagreeable and patch-like appearance. In colouring geognostical maps, it is absolutely necessary to establish and follow certain rules, in order that there may be an uniformity or unity of execution in all the parts, and consequently that similarly executed delineations, may appear as parts of one and the same whole. The fol- lowing rules should be observed in colouring maps: 1. In every case we must use, such colours as will allow the ground-work of the map or deli- neations of the mountains, to appear through them distinctly. 2. The colours must agree as nearly as possible with nature, that 1s, they must corre- spond with the most common colour of the rock, or at least differ from it as little as possible, and agree with the transition suite of the colours. 3. The use of all very bright colours must be avoid- ed. 4. The colours must not be too pale or too deep, and they ought to be laid on as much as possible of the same intensity: perfectly dark and light coloured rocks are exceptions to this rule, s. The colours of mountain-rocks must form snites or transitions, in order to express the transi- tions of the rocks into each other: at the same time, they must be sufficiently distinct from each ~ ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. XSi other, so that they may not appear indistinct and give rise to confusion. ja All mountain-rocks, therefore, ought to be coloured according to the preceding rules; and the particular rocks distinguished by certain co- lours. | | For this purpose, the following colours have been recommended by Werner, and I have prefix- ed to each rock the particular symbol employed by him to distinguish them. fi] Quartz.—Reddish-white, inclining a little to wellw.,) ) t= Topaz-rock.—Pale brick-red. 1} Granite.—Pale cochineal-red, approaching carmine-red. : WA White-stone.—Pale flesh-red. | CA Gneiss.—Lilac- blue. a ‘Mica-slate.—Pearl-grey. [7] Primitive Clay-slate.—Greenish-grey, fall- ing into blue. ai 4 152 ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. ’ S Alum-slate. haves toluials, bleidh falling’ in to Brae . ory Hriaey aeons ash-grey. [1 Grey-wacke slate, and Grey-wacke.— : Greenish-grey, falling into yellow. Brey gS y, | IN Granular primitive trap, > Greenstone, a3 | Trap-rocks.— — t Blackish - green, = ‘ inclining to Deol Greenstone-slate, blue f e Went Hornblende-slate, J N Basalt.—Greenish-black. P<] Porphyry-slate.—Pale greenish- black. fy Amysgdaloid.—Pale greenish-black, slightly inclining to brown. Gi] Serpentine.-Pale i anal ce] Tale and Chlorite ae — Pale grass- green. 5 Porphyry.—Pale reddish-brown, slightly i in- clining to yellow. Sienite.—Pale reddish-brown, inclining to bluish, that 1s, clove-brown, passing into - bluish-red. ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. 153 prim. 1. Granular primitive Limestone-— Pale Berlin-blue. | prim. 2. Compact primitive Limestone.—- ‘ Smalt blue, faintly inclining to red. W tran. Transition Limestone. —Indigo-blue, slightly inclining to grey. Wa 1. Floetz Limestone.—Pale bluish-grey, without any trace. of grey. Wen, -Chalk.—Milk-white, that is, bluish- a white. AY Calc-tuff.—Smoke-grey. | prim. Older } 4 : , | Gypsum.— Pale sky-blue, | 4 . 2 ° ° ¢ that is, blue inclining to x | | reen. { fl. 1. Newer | 8 ) Rock-salt, and rocks from which salt syigees issue.—Pale verdigris-green. fe) : | ; 7. Common, 1 Coal-formation.—Pale _ blackish-brown, ap- — | proaching to yel- 4 With mercury, J lowish-brown. 154 ON COLOURING! GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. ZL. Alum-earth, | tr : fg & Liver-brown. Brown andEarth © 2 Coal, | | Conglomerate, and | Pale orange-yellow, slightly inclinin ° ghtly ing & Claystone, : to reddish-brown. Sandstone.—Straw-yellow. » « Sand.—Yellowish-white, slightly inclining to red. : =~ sue Sere oui panel Clay.—Yellowish-grey, passing to ochre-yellow. LN Iron-clay, and | \ Pale ochre-yellow. | LN Calamine. Pa Turf and Peat.—Liver-brown streaks. a as t * Bog iron-ore.—Ochre-yellow streaks *, — ng? 4 * The following observations will serve to elucidate the Wernerian symbols above enumerated. The symbols ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. 165 -- Werner remarks, that formation-suites may also be represented in colours +: thus, the slate-forma- used by Werner, to express sand, inflammable substances, chalk, salt, iron, and copper, have been long known; but the others are of his own framing. Thus, the curved line in the symbol of serpentine, &c. intimates, that the rock is of a magnesian or greasy nature ; the square symbol intimates, that the rocks to which it refers, generally break into a quadratic shape, as quartz; the lengthened square, that the rock breaks into tables, as gneiss; the thomboidal-shape, that the rock breaks into sharp-angled pieces, as porphyry ; diagonal-streaks in a square, when drawn from right to left, or across from one side to the other, intimate, that the rock has a slaty texture, as gneiss and topaz-rock ; perpendicular streaks, or lines in a square, intimate, that the rock wants the slaty structure, as granite; a diagonal line from the left to the right, always marks rocks of the trap-formation, as greenstone ; a small ovalin a square, expresses the occurrence of masses of after- formation in a rock, and is used as the symbol for amyg- daloid ; small black squares inclosed in a larger “square, express embedded crystals, asin porphyry; shorter and shorter lines above each other, are the symbol for clay ; and when conjoined with dotts, express clay and sand to- gether. All these signs are more or less combined to- gether, so as to form the different symbols. Thus, the symbol of greenstone-slate is a lengthened square, in- cluding two lines drawn from the right hand to the left, and one from the left to the right : The lengthened square, ‘intimates, that it has a slaty fracture; the two lines from the right hand to the left, that it has two constitu- ent parts ; andthe line from the left to the Ne that it belongs to the trap-formation. — + For explanation of formation-suites, see *¢ Elements ‘** of Geognosy,’’ p. 88., &e. 156 ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL Maps, | tion-suite, will be red shaded into blue, the blue into grey, and this latter into green, and the green into yellow.—The inflammable-fossils, su- bordinate to these formations, will be dark-brown. ~The limestone- formation. suite, will be blue, which will pass into grey, and lastly into white.— The salt and gypsum formation suites, which are allied to the preceding, will be greenish-blue, and bluish-green.—The trap-suite, greenish-black, and blackish-green, shaded into blue.—The por- phyry-suite, light-brown.—The tale and serpen- tine suite, pale yellowish-green. _ Such then is the method of representing by means of colours, the different rocks of which a_ country is composed: we have now to point out how their relative positions are to be deline-. ated. These are most satisfactorily and simply expressed in the following manner, as first pointed — out by Werner: Boundaries of superimposed rocks, are to be marked with a broad line of the same colour as the rock, only darker, and in those cases where we are uncertain as to the superpo- | sition of the rock, the junction ‘is to be merely streaked. Beds, when they appear at the surface, should have their boundaries distinguished by a - broad but darker line of the same colour as that of the rock of which they are composed. When the beds are inclined, the lower side should be marked with a broad line of the same colour as the bed itself, but its upper-side by a broad dark line of the colour of the rock that rests upon it, ‘ ee » ON HPLOERENG GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. 157 Bhus, a bed of greenstone, in. inclined strata of mica-slate, as represented in the map, will have its lower side marked with a broad dark-green co- loured line, but its upper side with a broad line of dark pearl grey. Veins are to be eae: by lines drawn in elt the direction of the veins of the district. Metal- _ liferous veins should be pointed out by red lines ; and veins filled with mountain-rocks, by lines un the same galoar as the rock of which they are composed. There is still another dbiect to be attended to, in the execution of geognostic maps: it is the _ dip of the ‘strata. This is to be expressed by black-coloured arrows, whose length should be in "proportion to the angle of inclination, and their . direction to the point of the compass towards which the strata dip or incline. When.the strata are vertical, or under any angle from go® to 80°, they are marked by two cross lines thus x ; bee ! zontal strata, or strata under any angle from o to _10°, by two lines crossing each other at right angles, and having darts at each extremity. The intermediate angles, from 80° to 10°, are marked ‘by simple arrows, which are 4, ca and = of an inch in length. The arrow ; inch in Tene in- timates, that the strata are tnelined at any angle between 80° and 60°: the arrow 3 inch in length that the strata are inclined at any angle between 60° and 40° : the arrow = inch in length, that the strata are inclined at oe angle between 40° and 10°. The first, or shortest arrow, is said to point 158 ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS, | out strata inclined under an angle of yo°; the second arrow, strata under an angle of Jo? ;° the third arrow, strata under an angle of 25°. Pro- bably an equally convenient mode would be to mark the angle of inclination alongside the arrow, and proportion its size to the length of the map. Thus, if the map were on a large scale, the arrow might be 4 3 of an inch long ; if on’a smaller scale, 2 highest points on a mountain range should be di- stinguished by a cross rh: a level, by a figure resembling a door / \ ; and a shaft, by a lengthened square Stach | eS The following tabular view of the different Colours that should be employed in geognostical maps, will be found useful. WHITE COLOURS. UATER. Reddish-white, slightly imeliaia to. g yellowish white. Chalk. Milk-white. Sand: Yellowish-white, faintly inclining to. reddish- white. GREY COLOURS. Mica-slate. Pearl-grey. Primitive-} Pale greenish-grey, falling into hin Glay slate, 5 ish-grey. = inch, or even % of an inch in length. The ” Mea ' ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. 159 Grey-wacke. __Greenish-grey, inclining to yellow- . | ish-grey. Fletz-limestone. Pale bluish-grey, without any trace of green. Calc-tuff. omoke-grey. | Loam and Clay. Yellowish-grey, passing to ochre- , yellow.’ 3 F, linty-slate. Ash-grey. | BLACK COLOURS. ae Greenish-black. | Alum-slate. Pale bluish-black, passing into | ' greyish-black. Porpbhyry-slate. Pale greenish-black. Amygdaloid. Pale greenish-black, passing into brownish-black. BLUE COLOURS. Gneiss. Lilac-blue. Granular pri-> 7 mitive lime- - Pale Berlin blue. stone. J Compact pri- mitive lime- \. Smalt blue, slightly inclining to red. stone, J | | a =f Indigo blue, slightly inclining to limestone, grey. Gypsum, Pale sky-blue, 160 ON COLOURING GEOGNOSTICAL MAPS. SOE: , ‘Maal GREEN COLOURS. | ho ! Rock-salt, and ae . aes lll | rocks from). Pale verdigris green. eae which salt iy ec, a springs 15SUC. ie i 7. Salt springs. Dark verdigris green rings. _ ne Zrap-rocks. Blackish-green, inclining to blue. Boundaries of | pone rg ee SOR ie \ Dark emerald green. Tale and Chlo- | ea } Pale grass-green. rite-slate, Serpentine. Pale pistachio-green. Mineral-springs. Pistachio green rings. YELLOW COLOURS. Sandstone. Straw yellow. Lron-clay, and ideoten { Pale Ge an Conglomerate) pale orange-yellow, slightly inclin- and Glay- fing to reddish-brown. stone. a RED COLOURS. Granite. - Pale cochineal-red, approaching ; nearly to carmine-red. Topaz-rock. - Pale brick-red. _ Whitestone. Pale flesh-red. SS aaa ee St tim a : am me gE Tag im me: : ere z oe eh i a 4 iy Ee? - , ‘ € ‘ aa i us + » t 4 ON COLOURING GE ean. * ‘NOSTICAL aay h- ¢ a ‘s lowis >a : é X. Mineralogical Account of Papa Stour, one of the Zetland*Islands. =, ‘ 7 # ot By the Rev. Jonn Fiemine, F. A. S. Minister of Bressay. (Read 12th November 1808. ) ‘Tue island of Papa Stour is situated on the west side of the Mainland (or largest island) of ‘Zet- land, and forms the south side of the entrance in- to St Magnus Bay. It possesses no hills of any considerable height. It is of a very irregular form, being deeply indented with four bays, which are here termed woes, viz. Houseavoe, Olisvoe, “Culliesvoe, and Hamnavoe. In these bays, the shore is somewhat level, but in other parts of the island, it is bold and rocky, presenting to the fu- rious Atlantic, precipices several hundred feet in height. In these rocks, there are numerous ACCOUNT OF PAPA STOUR. 163 caves, which form commodious retreats for seals ; and at different parts of the coast, there are naked insulated projecting masses of rock, on which myriads of sea-fowl hatch their young in safety, the steep sides of these islets preventing even the enterprising natives from reaching their summits. As the rocks of Papa Stour are of very different degrees of induration, so the sea has in many places made great encroachments, and formed creeks and caves of considerable magnitude. These present great obstacles to the examination of the mineralogy of this island, in consequence of the place of junction of the different rocks, being of- ten covered by loose blocks of stone, or concealed in the recess of a deep and gloomy cave. The strata are in general nearly horizontal, seldom vertical, and in a few instances trough- shaped and bason-shaped. In many places they present appearances.of much confusion. Immense slips or translations of the strata have taken place, whereby they have been depressed many fathoms since their original deposition. These translations are not confined to particular beds of rock, but have taken place generally over the island. In these translations, the beds on the hanging side are always depressed, and lower than the same bed on the lying side. Appearances of this kind may be seen at Ungly-braed-head, and’ Lammer-banks, | ae 164 MINERALOGICAL ACCOUNT The rocks of this island appear to be the follow- ing : Sandstone, Slate-clay, Amygdaloid, Green- stone, Breccia, Compact-felspar, Porphyritic-slaty- : felspar, and Claystone. I shall, therefore, proceed to give an account of the appearances accompa- nying each of these rocks, beginning with the | SANDSTONE. - The rocks of sandstone chiefly occur at House- avoe and the Kirk-sard. ‘The beds are usually thin. It is often of a brown and also of a green- ish-erey colour. It is fine-grained in some in- stances. It frequently contains rounded nodules of quartz, and is much mixed with quartz. When it contains much mica, it splits into plates. The sur- face of the beds is sometimes elegantly undulated, similar to the impressions made on the sand of the sea shore by the retiring waves. This appearance on the surface of the beds of sandstone has in all probability been occasioned by the action of the same cause. The different seams of the sandstone are ge- nerally separated from each other by thin beds of - clay, and also by beds of breccia. On the north side of Houseavoe, the sandstone covers a bed of amygdaloid, and at the Kirk-sand it alternates with beds of amygdaloid and greenstone. Ata_ place called Little-Peatie’s-gio #, the sandstone is covered with a bed of breccia, upon which it also rests, and both these beds of sandstone and breccia eer oe * Pronounced gio or geau. OF PAPA STOUR. 165 rest on a thick bed of compact-felspar inclining ‘to claystone. At Olisvoe, northward from the Boothe, a thin bed of sandstone is inclosed between _beds of compact-felspar, which is very hard owing to intermixed quartz. At Forewick it is covered with beds of compact-felspar. At the point of con- tact, the horizontal beds of sandstone suddenly bend downwards to a much-inclined position, and the beds of compact-felspar rest on the inclining beds of sandstone. ‘The two rocks are separated from each other, by a thin division of clayey sand. The direction of the slaty structure of the compact-tel- spar at the line of junction, is parallel with the in- clined surface of the beds of sandstone ; and hence, it is inall probability the margin of a bason-shaped hollow in the strata, and not a slip or transla- tion, as I at first supposed. The sandstone at Forewick, alternates with beds of slate-clay. Be- tween Forewick and North-house, the sandstone is covered with thick strata of compact-felspar, nd porphyritic claystone. ‘The beds of sandstone, which are horizontal, are separated from the felspar, by a division of soft clayey matter arising from the decomposi- | tion of both rocks. ‘These rocks are in conform- able stratification, and seem to have been equally exposed to-dislocation, as several s/zpr are to be observed. Both the sandstone, and its covering of felspar, have undergone a depression of several yards. ‘The L s / 166 MINERALOGICAL ACCOUNT appearance and extent of one of these slips is very distinct, in a small creek called Tury-gio. SLATE-CLAY. This rock occurs very sparingly in this island. It sometimes makes its appearance between beds of sandstone, and at Forewick it exists in thick beds. It is often mixed with mica, and then passes into slaty-sandstone. AMYGDALOID. The beds of this rock are of considerable thick- ness. Its basis seems to be a claystone, of a grey- ish-black colour. It contains numerous cavities, filled with different crystalline minerals, as calc- spar, heavy-spar, fluor-spar, and quartz. As these substances are liable to fall out by being decom- posed, the empty vesicles then give the stone the ap- pearance of vesicularlava. These vesicles are some- times filled with calcedony, or with calc-spar, and in company with these, crystals of quartz, heavy- spar, and fluor-spar are likewise found. When all these substances occurred in the same cavity, they were arranged in the following order. ‘The calcedony covered the cavity nearest the rock, the — quartz was imposed upon the calcedony, and co- vered with the calc-spar: The heavy-spar rested on the calc-spar, and the remaining cavities of the vesicle were filled with fluor-spar. The crystals of the calc-spar were often rhomboidal and some- OF PAPA STOUR. _ 167 times prismatic. The fluor-spar was least abun- dant. Hence, it appears, that as the fluor-spar formed the central part of the cavity, it had been last deposited, and that the calcedony, which in- closed the others, was the oldest formed. On the north side of Houseavoe, the amygdaloid is covered with the sandstone, floating pieces of which it likewise contains, sometimes of the quart- zy kind. ‘The surface of these floating masses was parallel with the surface of the bed of amyg- daloid. At the west side of Kirk-sand, it distinc- tly alternates with the sandstone, and seems in some places to have a slaty structure. It alter- nates with felspar, containing much quartz, at _Culliesvoe. At a place called Herdy-gio, the amygdaloid alternates with breccia, and both these beds are covered with a thick bed of compact- felspar, passing to claystone, Two sips occur at this place, which affect equally the amygdaloid and felspar. The amygdalcid is traversed by small veins of hematite, and the neighbouring rocks are much impregnated with iron. GREENSTONE. The two component ingredients of this rock, the felspar and hornblende, being often intimate- ly mixed, it is difficult to distinguish them from each other. ‘The beds are of moderate thickness. To the westward of the Kirk-sand, several beds L 4 £68 MINERALOGICAL ACCOUNT of greenstone alternate with the sandstone in a very regular manner; and on the west side of Culliesvoe, it likewise appears to rest upon a bed of compact-felspar, although their Eelayie position is. by no means obvious. BRECCIA *. By this, I mean a rock of angular fragments, cemented by a basis of a different composition. #* I have employed this word, which is of frequent use, ‘to express an aggregated rock of angular fragments, ce- mented by a basis of a different composition, It differs from Puddingstone, not only in the cement, but in« the fragments not being rounded. From Conglomerate, it likewise differs, in the fragments not being the same with the cement. In Zetland, there are three distinct kinds of agglutinated rocks :—The first consists of angular fragments of porphyritic or compact-felspar rocks, ce- mented by a clayey or sandstone basis. It occurs in thin beds. This I have termed Breccia.—The second is moderately fine-grained sandstone, containing rounded “masses of granite, gneiss, and other rocks of the primi- ‘tive class, from the size of an egg, to one or two feet in diameter. These beds are of great thickness.—Last- ly, clayey sandstone, including angular fragments of si- milar composition, the cement and the fragments being the same. This occurs in moderately thin beds, along with fine-grained sandstone. This last kind is, with pro- priety, termed Sandstone-conglomerate; but the same phrase does not appear so applicable to the second kind, whose imbedded masses claim a very different origin, sta OF PAPA STOUR. | 169 x ‘The fragments, which are small, seldom exceed- ing a pea in size, consist of compact felspar, and, in ‘one instance, of sandstone. ‘The cement is a greenish-coloured clay, of various degrees of induration, and, in some instances, it seems to be sandstone. When fresh broken, the stone has a homogeneous appearance; but where it has been exposed to the influence of the weather, the fragments are very distinct, the cement having been decomposed. At Houseavoe, the breccia alternates with the sandstone, and is in thin beds. At Hirdy-gio, it alternates with the amygdaloid. At Ungly- braed-head, there is first a bed of felspar, much mixed with quartz, and presenting a number of diverging radiated points: above this bed, breccia occurs, indistinctly stratified, into which the felspar passes: over this bed of breccia, there is another divided into thin strata, and containing galls of green-clay, and nodules of compact-fel- spar; and above all, is a bed of amygdaloid. ~ These beds are altered from their original situa- tion, by a slip, which elevates or depresses them six or seven yards. At Little-Peatie’s-gio, there and seem to have been brought to their present situation, by a more general cause than operated in the formation of the first and third kind. Nor is it applicable to the first kind, since, in it, the fragments are of a different substance from the cement which connects them. 170 MINERALOGICAL ACCOUNT is first a bed of compact-felspar ; over it breccia, with layers of a rock of felspar, inclining to clay- stone and much intermixed with quartz ; and above all, beds of amygdaloid. At Bordie, there are first vertical strata of felspar, separated from each other by thin layers of greenish clay. The felspar is in the form of globular distinct con- cretions, with cavities lined with quartz, or fil- led with steatite: this bed is covered with beds of breccia, similar to those at Little-Peatie’s-gio, in an unconformable position, the strata of felspar being vertical, and those of the breccia horizon- tal. The strata of breccia are separated by clay, similar to that which separates the strata of fel- spar. A bed of red compact felspar covers the breccia. The breccia, in this place likewise, contained fragments of sandstone. COMPACT-FELSPAR. This rock is of a reddish-brown colour, and occurs in the form of thick beds, which, in some instances, appear to be seamed or stratified. At Lammer-banks, on the east side of Houseavoe, it rests on beds of sandstone, being separated there- from by a thin partition of clay. Both these beds rest in a horizontal position. ‘The compact-fel- spar is porphyritic, containing crystals of felspar, likewise of a red colour. This bed, in another place between the Kirk-sand and Forewick, alter- nates or rather is intimately mixed with a variety me!) OF PAPA STOUR. 171 of porphyritic slaty-felspar. On the west side of the island, it covers beds of breccia and amygda- loid. To the-eastward of Hirdy-gio, it is in the form of a conglomerate, containing angular mas- ses, having the cement and fragments of similar composition and appearance. At Little-Peatie’s- gio, the compact-felspar is covered with breccia, and a rock of felspar that contains much quartz. The compact-felspar, in some instances, contains crystals of disintegrated felspar and steatite. It is usually massive; but it seems, upon assuming the porphyritic structure, to have a slaty struc- ture; as near Hirdy-gio, where the slaty frac- ture is very distinct. CLAYSTONE. This rock chiefly occurs at a place called Stain, between Houseavoe and Olisvoe. It is of a bluish- grey colour. The beds are moderately thin, not much inclined, and considerably decayed, as ap- pears by numerous fissures or rents which traverse them. It contains crystals of red felspar, thus forming porphyritic-claystone. “Two curious va- rieties of this rock are here to be observed: the first is a claystone-conglomerate, containing an- gular fragments of the claystone, connected by an impure cement of claystone, mixed with mica and sand: in the second variety, the claystone occurs in the form of globular distinct concre- tions, connected by a softer basis than the con- i172 MINERALOGICAL ACCOUNT cretions themselves, which are hard, and nearly resemble the fragments which compose the brec- cia rocks. The concretions are porphyritic, as is also the cementing claystone. Both these va- rieties are included in the beds of porphyritic claystone. This bed rests upon a porphyritic. rock, which is intermediate between the compact felspar and claystone, but has a distinctly slaty structure. On the south-side, towards House- avoe, it passes, by imperceptible degrees, into amygdaloid, which appears to rest upon the clay- stone, and to be covered in its turn with the sandstone. PORPHYRITIC SLATY FELSPAR. By this I mean, rocks having a basis of felspar of _ considerable hardness, containing imbedded crys- tals of felspar, thus constituting a porphyry, and having the principle fracture slaty, thus forming a porphyritic-slate. ‘The colour is usually reddish- brown. The cross fracture fine splintery. It contains crystals of red felspar, and rounded grains | of quartz; which last are often disposed in the direction of the principal fracture. It also con- tains small cavities filled with steatite. It 1s some- times in the form of distinct concretions, as at Ungly-braed-head, where it passes into the brec- cia which covers it. At Bordie, it is beautifully formed into distinct concretions, as formerly men- tioned. It is here covered by breccia. On the ome! =. = : =, OF PAPA:/STOUR. © i73 east side of Olisvoe, it is in the form of a conglo- merate ; the cement and the fragments cemented, being both of the same composition*, At the — east side of the Kirk-sand, it seems to lose in some measure its slaty structure, and to pass into por- phyritic-claystone. At Culliesvoe, it is of a sreyish-black colour, the felspar in small quanti- ty, and presenting the appearance of certain: va- rieties of porphyry-slate ; and on the west side of the same voe, it is compact, of a red colour, and full of minute grains of quartz. It is intimately connected with the claystone, compact-felspar, amygdaloid, and breccia rocks. All the rocks enumerated above, are traversed by veins filled with calc-spar, heavy-spar, quartz, * Three kinds of Conglomerate have been mentioned a- bove, viz. Compact-felspar Conglomerate; Claystone Con- glomerate ; and Porphyritic-slaty-felspar Conglomerate. This occurrence does not seem to warrant the conclusion, ; that the beds of felspar, claystone, and porphyritic-slaty- felspar, owe their origin to rocks of a similar kind, - but much more ancient, and belonging to a different or- der of things; but rather support the conclusion, that disturbances have taken plate in the fluid, during the pe- riod of deposition, of sufficient extent, to break into fragments, portions of the new-formed rocks; and that the individual beds of the series have been frequently repeated. This may serve also to explain the occur- rence of the breccia at Bordie, in unconformable stratifi- cation, and covered also with compact-felspar. 174 MINERALOGICAL ACCOUNT common jasper; and the amygdaloid contains veins of red hematite. From the above statement of facts, it does not seem improper to conclude, that all the beds of rock in Papa Stour, belong to one and the same formation. Besides the support which this con- clusion receives from the account of the relative . position of the different rocks as mentioned above, it is likewise countenanced by the oceurrence of veins in the different beds, filled with si- milar mineral substances; and particularly, from the circumstance of those slips, or dislocations of the strata, whereby the beds are depressed, and which affect the beds of sandstone, compact- felspar, and porphyry-slate, and the other rocks in the island, all in a similar manner. This pro- - bably would not have been the case if they had belonged to separate formations. The fissures, formed in consequence of these slips, are fil- led with decomposed portions of the surrounding strata. : Since the conclusion,—that, the rocks of Papa Stour belong to one and the same formation,-——ap- pears supported by such proof, it still remains to be determined, to which of the formations, in the class of floetz-rocks, they ought to be referred. The sandstone of Papa Stour, ts exactly similar to the sandstone in the islands of Foulah and Bressay. In the former of these islands, the sand- stone is accompanied with bituminous-shale and clay-ironstone, and rests on gneiss as the funda- a OF PAPA STOUR. 175 mental rock. In Bressay, the sandstone includes beds of slate-clay, and contains vegetable impres- sions, similar to those common in the sandstone of the coal-fields of the Lothians. Hence it seems reasonable to conclude, that the different rocks in the island of Papa Stour, together with the sandstone of the ‘Zetland Islands, belong to the Independent Coal Formation. I shall be happy, if this communication shall be thought to afford an answer, in some degree satisfactory, to two of the mineralogical queries suggested by my esteemed friend, the President of the Wernerian Natural History Society. XI. Observations on some Peculiarities ob- servable in the structure of the Gannet, Pelecanus Bassanus. And an account of a new and curious Insect, discovered to inhabit the Cellular Membrane of that Bird. : By Grorce Montacu, Esq; F. L. 8. & M. W. S. ( Read 16th Fuly 1808. ) Amonc the animals whose various peculiarities of structure appear out of the common course of - nature, the Gannet claims particular attention. Having made a longitudinal incision from the . breast to the vent of a Gannet, in order to prepare it for preservation, I was struck with the appear- ance of several -pellucid bodies, by which the skin was connected with the body. This circumstance brought to recollection the fact related of thepeli- can, by Buffon ; who remarks, that, from the lungs, SS TR ee : OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 197 the air passes through axillary pipes, into a thick vesicular cellular membrane that covers the muscles, and envelopes the whole body. The structure, however, of the gannet, although pro- bably intended for similar purposes, is very dif- ferent from that of the pelican, according to the relation of that naturalist. The gannet differs materially from its coms geners, the Corvorant and Shag, in being extreme- ly buoyant, floating on the surface of the water. like a gull; whereas those species of Pelecanus sink deep in the bosom of the water: it is there- fore reasonable to conclude, that the gannet, like the gull, is incapable of immersion, and conse- quently cannot pursue its prey under water *. » During the season that they frequent the Bri- tish Channel, they are easily captured, as they rise with difficulty, unless against the wind; con- sequently by keeping to windward, they are readily tun down by the assistance of two or three boats, for they never attempt to evade their pursuers by * The leg-bone or ¢/3za of the gannet is remarkably broad in front, not compressed, as is usual with those birds who pursue their prey under water. ‘The serrated middle claw cannot be indicative of its habits, since many land-birds are equally furnished with a similar for- mation, the use of which has never been discovered, 478 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. diving, (from which it is natural to infer they are ‘incapacitated for diving) ; but they defend them- selves most obstinately, when about to be seized. The bill of. the gannet differs from that of most birds, for it is not only destiture of nostrils, but on each side the upper mandible towards the base, is a dentation that divides the margin, and thus ad- mits of a considerable motion. The eye is pro- tected by an unusually pellucid nictitating mem- brane, that at once guards that delicate organ from the common accidents incident to rts habits, and at the same time admits of a sufficiency of light for all the purposes of vision. ‘This cir- cumstance has been noticed by several authors ; but those who affirm that the gannet possesses a dilatable pouch, like the pelican, under the chin, of a size sufficient to contain five or six herrings, cannot have examined that part with due atten- tion. The cesophagus, it is true, 1s extremely ca- pacious, and the skin of the throat and neck is equally capable of distention, so that five or six fishes, of the size of a herring, might be contained in the gullet and stomach ; for there appears to be very little difference between them, or in other words, the stomach is a continuation of the ceso- phagus with little or no stricture or division. Itis wellknown, that many birds regurgitate with, much ease and facility; and that instinct points eut to them this mode of preparing the food in- tended for the nourishment of their young, in the. receptacle, usually termed the craw : in this man- OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET.. 179 ner, the gannet can readily disgorge the contents of its stomach, sg it has no ws ie to satisfy its young. | Having taken a cursory view of the natural ha- bits, and the more striking external appearances of this bird, I shall proceed to detail my observa- tions upon the more occult properties with which it is endowed, and which are apparently so admi- _rably adapted to its mode of life, and continued re- sidence on the waters, even in the most turbulent sea, and most inclement season. I must, however, candidly acknowledge myself inadequate to the task of a minute, anatomical disquisition, and must therefore claim the indulgence of the zootomist, or comparative anatomist; request- ing such to bear in remembrance, that I am only stating circumstances as they have occurred ; my object being to stimulate others, better qualified to dissect, to detail their anatomical observations upon this singular bird. By comparative anatomy, it has been ciearly demonstrated, that birds in general are provided with air-vessels in different parts of the body, and that many of their bones are not destitute of this contrivance, admirably fitted for increasing their levity, and consequent buoyancy, as well as pro- gressive motion through that element in which ° they are intended principally to move, and that too with a velocity that far surpasses all the other _ partsof animated nature. Mr ee oe , in the M 2 «€ We OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET~< “ Transactions of the Royal Society,” proves, that the air-cells, in the parts already mentioned, have a free communication with the lungs by means of- openings on their surface, through which the air passes readily into them ; and it clearly appears, there is no diaphragm that confines the air to the regions or cavity of the breast, but that the whole of the abdomen is equally inflated by inspiration through the lungs. , Thus far has the scientific researches of that ana- tomist contributed to our knowledge on this sub- ject; but we may presume, much remains to be done. No one appears to have noticed the phenomena at- tendant on the construction of the gannet, or to what further extent this circulation of aerial fluid is carried in some particular species of birds ; a circumstance which demands our highest ad- miration, when we contemplate the advantages which such a structure may be. of, in conducing to the comforts, and perhaps to the very existence of such animals. Several gannets having been subjected to arti- ficial inflation, I shall state the result, and re- late the manner in which the experiments were pursued. A pipe was first introduced into the trachea, and when air was propelled through it, the whole internal cavity of the body was inflated, | but no air passed into the external cells between. the skin and the body. An incision was then made in the. lower part of the abdomen. into the body, very near the vent; air was forced “@BSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 183 through a pipe introduced at that part, (the pipe in the trachea having been previously stopped), and a similar inflation ensued without affecting the exterior cells. The pipe was now removed 4rom the trachea, and, upon the air being propel- fed with force through the pipe at the vent, it readily found its way through the larynx, produ- cing &@ noise similar to the sound emitted by the living bird. A small opening was then made in the skin on the left side, about mid-way between the wing and the thigh, and a pipe introduced, having first stopped those directly communicating with the internal parts, it was obvious, that when air was forced through this orifice, the skin on that side, as far as the middle line of the body, was greatly inflated, and it extended into the lower part of the neck, along the larger joints of the wing, down the thigh, and also into the cavity of the body, but the right side was not in the least affected: the pipe at the trachea being re- moved, the air produced a similar effect upon the larynx as before mentioned, but not so loud. Still suspecting there was a communication between the sides, by means of some valvular apparatus, the right side was subjected to the same experi- ment; but the result negatived my expectation, the effect produced being similar in every re- spect. From a repetition of these experiments upon several subjects, it became evident, that there | M 3 182 ‘OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. was a communication between the lungs and the cellular membrane that covers the greater part of the body, as well as with the whole cavity of the body, but that, by reason of some valvular con- trivance, the skin could not be artificially inflated through the lungs, although air would readily pass in the contrary direction. It is also clear, that there is no direct communication btu ais | the sides. ditt In order to examine this eatraoadingttt struc- ture, I. made a longitudinal incision the whole length of the body, a little on one side of the keel, or what is commonly: termed the breast-bone; by this means, the membrane that connects the skin to the body, and cuts off the communication be- tween the sides, was easily examined; but no- thing was observed, indicating that a communica- tion could be effected, even at the will of the animal.- On each side, nearly equidistant between this pectoral membrane and the back, 14s situated another longitudinal one, very similar to the last, but perforated; between this and the pecto- ral are about nine irregular transverse membra- nous septa, that hold the skin firmly to the body, having a free communication with each other. The skin is also furnished with a transparent cel- lular membrane, the cells being regularly perfo- rated, close to the base of each feather. At the up- per part of the breast is a large bag, which extends some way up the neck; this is attached to the skin by the septa of innumerable small OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 183 eells, but no opening into this cellular bag could be discovered ; the introduction, however, of a small pipe through the artificial aperture, clearly demonstrated a passage to the lungs, as the whole internal cavity of the body was inflated, and the air issued from the trachea. Upon opening this bag, the passage of communication with the inter- nal parts appeared to be under the clavicles, as a thin perforated membrane was perceived at the bottom, leading to the thorax, not directly into the lungs, but near the part where the trachea di- varicates, and afterwards communicating with the lungs. It could not, however, be discovered where the air could find a passage from the great magazine into the cellular bag, and yet there is every reason to conclude that at this part some valvular passage exists. Pursuing my researches, I observed, at the bot- tom of each lobe of the lungs, a considerable open- ing, for the passage of air into the cavity of the body ; but what arrested my particular attention, was a wonderful provision of nature, for the pro- tection of the vital parts, by guarding the whole viscera with a strong integument, that preserves them in a proper degree of moisture, and contri- butes to the due secretions for lubricating those parts, so essential to the functions of their delicate nature, which might otherwise be too quickly car- ried off, by the constant circulation of fresh air that nearly surrounds them ; for this integument is held only by ligaments to the back and front, M 4 184 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNETS leaving all other parts free for inspired” ain, ‘The liver and intestines are firmly attached to the surrounding integument; the heart is enveloped by a similar covering, which is only hee con- nected to the common one. . ain In the trachea nothing very remarkable occurs, €xcept two small glands about the size of a pea, at the lower extremity *. The tongue is so ex- * Tt may not be improper to remark, that much im- portant matter in the science of ornithology, may yet be expected, from a strict attention to the trachea of diffe- rent birds. Dr Latham has paved the way to this discri- mination of species, by his excellent paper on the subject, given in-vol. iv. of the’Iransactions of the Linnean So- ciety ; but as much remains to be done, much may be expected, through the medium of the Wernerian Socie- ty, towards discriminating some of the northern birds, which as yet are much in obscurity. In the Berlin Trans. vols. ili. and iv., figures are given of the trachea of Mergus Merganser, and Mergus Castor, that are so essentially different, as to leave no doubt that the birds from which they were extracted, are actually distinct ; for in these, not only a difference is observable in the labyrinth, but the trachea of the former has two ene largements, whereas the latter has only one. How this is to be reconciled with the account related’ by Mr Simmonds, in vol. viii. of the Linnean Transac- tzons, 1s left to the developement of the naturalists of North Britain, where these birds are frequently ob-. tained, OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 385 tremely diminutive, as scarcely to be entitled to that denomination. Bas not the discovery of a labyrinth in Mergus Cas- tor, of similar appearance to that of MZ. Merganser, been considered conclusive, without examining the rest of the trachea ; or may not the female Merganser resemble in plumage both the sexes of the Castor? Has any one yet observed a bird in the plumage of M. Merganser, to be afemale; and are we certain that the young male Mergus serrator, in its immature plumage, has not been confounded with these, since it has been ascertained, that that species is furnished with one enlargement in the trachea? If M. Merganser, in its immature state, should resemble in plumage M. Castor, the trachea of the young males would undoubtedly be similar to the adults, and we should be led still to look for a distinct species in a similar dress, with one enlargement in the trachea, as figured in the Berlin Transactions. It is also related by Mr Simmonds, that two specimens of AZ, Merganser, and two of M. Castor, now at Edinburgh, have only eighteen feathers in the tail. Those in my museum differ in this respect ; the former has certainly that number, but the latter has twenty: this specimen I obtained fresh, and being a female, it was destitute of labyrinth. ~ It is much to be wished, that this subject may be more minutely investigated by those, who, from situa. tion, may have more frequent opportunity; for, so rare are these birds become, in the southern parts of the kingdom, that, in the course of nearly thirty years col- lecting, I never obtained but the single specimen be- fore mentioned, in a recent state. ot 186 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. The clavicles, or what is commonly called the merry-thought, which is usually affixed to the point of the keel of the breast-bone by a ligament, is, in the gannet, so firmly united, as to appear a part of it. ele a: The very singular structure of this bird, so widely different from any that had before come un- der examination, could not surprise me more, than © the discovery of a new and singular insect found to inhabit the cellular membrane attached to the skin. It is well known, that the species of Vermes intestinales, found to inhabit almost all the inter- nal parts of animals possessed of a red circulating fluid, are extremely numerous, and that many others are not wholly destitute of them; but no instance, to my recollection, has been authentical- ly proved, of a true insect having been observed, constantly to inhabit and propagate in a similar situation. A description and figure of this singu- lar species of insect accompanies this paper. | Those who have had an opportunity of examin- ing a great variety of birds, will have noticed the great difference in the general construction of the body, and in particular the abdominal parts, of the aquatic tribes; and doubtless will-have observed how much more capable they are of enlarging the cavity of the body than land birds, and by that means are enabled to contain a much larger sup- . ply of air, so essential to the vital principle under OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 187 peculiar circumstances, in order to support life with ease, without continued respiration, as in long submersion. But in order to derive the most ample advantage from so curious a conformation, a free circulation of the confined air must be car- tied on through the lungs, in order to supply vital energy, by the absorption of oxygen .which is absolutely necessary to the existence of animals; thus, by passing and repassing through the lungs, the duration of submersion may be greatly ex- tended, beyond what would result from simple pulmonary inspiration. _ From the attachment of the lungs of a bird to the ribs and backbone, they are not capable of much distension, consequently can contain a very small portion of air; if, therefore, some extraor- dinary, or peculiar means, different from what is found to obtain in the class Mammalia, had not been given it, respiration must have been ex- tremely quick and laborious, to supply the blood with that vital principle which is furnished by the decomposition of the air in these organs. Besides, by so small a portion of air as the lungs of a bird would alone contain, their voice must have been so extremely weak, as to be wholly useless to many, whose active, restless, and migratory life renders it absolutely necessary that their cry should be strong, in proportion to quick transpor- tation from one place to another, in order that those of the same species should discover each 188 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. other at a very considerable distance,’ especially by night. To obviate, therefore, the difficulty of the former, and to produce the desired effect of the latter, nature has been abundantly kind in providing this class of animals with a passage from the lungs, to a capacious magazine for air, not only for the purpose of temporary respira- tion, but as'a kind of reservoir for certain exi- gencies; and in particular, that of supplying the instrument of sound with a sufficient quantity of it to be expelled with force through the larynx. | No one who has a previous knowledge of the size and construction of the lungs, can have ob- served the great exertion of a cock in the act of crowing, without being convinced, that the air, requisite for so strong and continued a sound by one expiration, could not be contained in that part. If a duck or a geose is attended to coli the usual cry is emitted, it will be evident, that the pressure of the abdomen propels the air which is therein contained, with much force into the an- terior part of the body, which, with what is there already not being able to escape through the trachea, not only inflates the cellular membrane about the breast to an unusual size, but, by com- pression, rushes with violence through the larynx, and produces a sound more or less intense, in proportion. as the muscles are more or less .ex-. erted. OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 18g _ Although this contrivance is so absolutely ne- cessary to the existence of every species of bird, it is not immediately obvious for what particular purpose the property of inflation is so much fur- ther extended than usual in the gannet. We should not expect to find this power of inflating the skin, peculiar to those who obtain their subsis- tence by diving, because, in the act of im- mersion, such power could not be exerted with- out obstructing that operation; and it 1s obvious, that the air contamed within the cavity of the body, is sufficient for all the ordinary ae of seeking their prey under water. From what has been already observed, it will not be unreasonable to conclude, that the gannet is endowed with such singular properties, for very different purposes than that of long and continual immersion. It cannot be doubted, but such a power of inflation must contribute greatly to lessen the concussion in its rapid descent upon the water, in order to seize its prey: besides, as the enlarge- ment of the surface without materially adding to the specific gravity, must greatly contribute to its buoyancy both in air and water, it is well adapted for residing in the midst of the most tem- pestuous sea, floating on its surface in perfect se- curity, and following those shoals of fish, on which depends its whole existence : thus, when all others are compelled to seek shelter in bays and creeks, the gannet is enabled to brave the severest weather 190 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. in all seasons, without attempting wy hear the shore. ‘ This contrivance may also be of i most im- portant service to an animal which is constantly ex- _ posed, even in the most inclement season, and. cannot quit its station without starving: nothing could possibly conduce more to its security against in- tense cold, or be better adapted to preserve the necessary temperature of animal-heat, than this intermediate body of air between the skin and the body, since that element is found to--be a non- conductor of heat. Upon this principle, what animal can be more securely protected against cold, er retain its vital heat so effectually as the. gannet, or such birds as are almost surrounded. with a body of confined air, divided by cells, and. intersected by membranes between the skin and the body, and that skin so amply covered with a light porous substance, filled also with air, and impervious to water * ? | te * The Gannet is capable of containing about three full inspirations of my lungs, divided into nearly three ‘equal portions, the cellular parts under the skin, on each side, holding nearly as much as the cavity of the body. Now, as a full or extraordinary expiration of the human lungs has been considered to occupy a space of about sixty cubic inches, (Phil. Trans. vol. 69. p. 349.-), so the gannet is capable of containing not less than 180 cubic inches of air at one time, subject to the will of the _ bird, under certain impressions, | OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 191 Deseribeitin of the Insect which inhabits the cel- - lular membrane of the Gannet. Ovate-oblong, smooth, glossy, white, with eight short legs, furnished with several joints, and terminated by bristles ; two on each side approxi- mating, and near to the anterior end ; the others similarly disposed, about one-third of its length from the posterior end: of the posterior legs, the hindmost pair is furnished with a very long bristle, the other pair usually with two; the an- terior legs possess several bristles each. No other appendages were discernible under the best constructed microscope, not even the mouth or eyes could be clearly ascertained; but beneath, at the anterior end from whence the fore-legs arise, there are four light depressions, surrounded by dark lines, in the two hindmost of which is a dark spot, but these had not the appearance of eyes: behind this part, is usually a fold in the skin, at which place there is an independent mo- tion : the feet are also observed to be in continual alternate motion, while under the microscope. Size about that of Acarus siro, or cheese-mite. Pu. VIL. Fig. 1. Under part. 2. Upper part. 3. Side view. (All greatly magnified). As far as I have hitherto observed, this in- sect 1s peculiar tothe gannet, and does not ap- pear to inhabit any other part than the cellu- lar membrane: in some subjects, it is found in prodigious abundance, together with the ova; % ~<— 192 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET? and no instance has occurred in which it has not appeared more or less in every specimen dissect- ed. To class this msect with any of ‘Me Linnean genera, is impossible; nor am I acquainted with any genus, in the arrangement of any of the more modern systematic writers, in which it could with propriety be placed. It appears to be more near- ly allied to Acarus than to any other; but the want of eyes, proboscis, or sucker, and palpi, will not admit of connection ; the situation, too, of the legs, seem to be characteristic. Under these circumstances, I propose giving it a distinct place in the system of nature, under the title of CrL- LULARIA Bassani, with the following generic characters: Head, thorax, and abdomen united: No eyes, antenne, palpi, nor proboscis: Legs eight, the four posterior remote from the four anterior: Feet unarmed, but furnished with bristles. | ’ Before I conclude this paper, it may be proper to remark, that the gannet, like all other birds, is not destitute of some species of pediculus that inhabit the feathers. But as the insects of this very numerous: genus are so extremely similar, that they have been considered distinct, only from the circumstance of having been found on dif. ferent animals, it appears useless to perplex science with a catalogue of names without spe-’ cific distinction. That which inhabits the gan- net, appears to be the same as those found on - ie tt 2 Sos Rha 5 al o eh ee \ “ad a. OP oe “tea f Cl es Loh a3 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 193 many other birds, at least those observed by me had nothing remarkable to substantiate a charac- ter. From personal experience, I can aver, that two or three species are sometimes found to infest the same subject, and that one or other of these has also been found on others. There is every reason to believe, that the pediculus of the magpie is found on some of the duck tribe, and the very long and slender pediculus, of the Cinereous eagle, has been taken from the black martin, so that this class of insects may be extended without limits, and without benefit to science, unless specific di- _stinctions can hie clearly defined. ("roe oy XII. Account of a species of Fasciola which anfests the Trachea of weirs with a mode pf Carey oni: By Greorce Mon'racu, Esq; F. L. S. & M. W.S. (Read ist poe 1808. ) Mosr persons in'rural life, who have in the least attended to their poultry, know, that young chickens are subject to a fatal distemper, usually termed the gapes, from the principal symptom of the disorder ; which is a frequent gaping, attend- ed with an extension of the neck, like suffocation, and sometimes an apparent phthisical affection or irritation of the lungs. ‘This distemper, which generally attacks them at the age of a month or six weeks, Is, I believe, found to obtain in, high as well as in low situations, but whether the nature of the soil, or that of the water, is produc- tive of the cause, remains to be discovered. This disease is produced by a species of fasciola lodging within the trachea, frequently extending from the pharynx to the trachea, but never, that I have observed, into the lunes, AGCOUNT OF THE FASCIOLA TRACHEA. 1095 I have, at this time, (June 20. 1808), a brood of sixteen chickens, of about six weeks old, all of which, one excepted, appear to be more or less af- fected withit. Upon laying open the trachea of one that died this morning, that part was found to be highly inflamed, and contained no less than twen- ty of these vermes firmly adhering to its surface by their single arm. ‘These had so completely choked up: the passage, that the chick had un- doubtedly died of strangulation*. Although none of these worms had -passed into. the lungs, they were found to be much inflamed. | In the year 1806, I first discovered the cause of the distemper ; and, in the following year, on the first appearance of the attack, I administered a simple medicine, considered by some persons in this part of the kingdom as infallible; and, to my astonishment, not only not one of a large brood, suffering under its influence, died, but, on the contrary, all speedily recovered. The recipe con- sists in mixing up their meat (barley or oatmeal) with urine, instead of water, and feeding them with it three or four times a-day. Rue chopped small, and mixed with their food, has been a fa- ee * It is remarkable, that the only chick which was ne- ver affected, is black, and all the others white ; and it will probably be found, that the dark coloured variety are not so subject to the distemper. 196 ACCOUNT OF THF FASCIOLA TRACHEA. vourite remedy ; but it may be proper to remark, _ that my chickens, affected at this time, have been under a course of that medicine since the first ap- pearance of ,the distemper, and that-'so far from yielding to it, the malady increased during its administration, and one chicken, as before men- tioned, had died. Under this disadvantage, in _the advanced state of the disorder, the former pre- scription was given, and its good effects were vi- sible in two or three days, and the’ whole brood is now in a state of convalescence. LO an I shall not attempt to reason upon the curative principle of the medicine prescribed, but leaye that matter to those better qualified to’ judge’on the subject. If the remedy has any real merit, (and there is every reason, from experience, to give it some degree of credit), it was not, I believe, originally administered with any knowledge of the cause of the distemper, but as a country _ housewife’s nostrum, and adopted with as little rea- son, as many others, which have, by accident, been discovered to be beneficial. It may be proper to remark in this place, that this vermicular distemper, seems to be peculiar to the young of the common domestic fowl, since neither my turkeys, nor ducks, all of which are reared together upon the same spot, have ever been attacked. , Whether, upon. further experience, the remedy here prescribed, may.be found a specific or not, it will be admitted, that the discovery of the cause ACCOUNT OF THE FASCIOLA TRACHEA. 197 of so fatal a disorder in an animal so profitable to man, is a matter of no small importance; for without a knowledge of the cause, no remedy can be applied upon physical reasoning. Hence, the great advantage of physiological inquiry, in enabling us to trace the distemper of a useful animal to its origin, and to solicit the aid of the learned in physic. The fasciola which occasions this fatal disease, is, as far as I have been able to ascertain, a non-— descript species, differing from all others hitherto described, by the great extension of the peduncle or arm that supports the lower foramen. ‘The following is a description of this animal. Cl. Vermes.—Ord. INTEsTINA. | FASCIOLA rracueEa. Pu. VII. Fig. 4. (Magnified four times.) Body round, acuminated at the posterior end, the lower aperture produced on a long stalk or arm, that extends rather beyond the an- terior end of the body, where the other aper- ture is placed, and is not above half the size of that part: these openings spread a little, or are subinfundibuliform; the larger ap- pears to be the mouth, and 1s slightly sexpar- tite ; that on the arm is used as a sucker, and is the part by which it adheres to the in- side of the trachea: the divarication takes place at about one-fifth part of the length of Ce 198 ACCOUNT OF THE FASCIOLA TRACHEA. the body: the colour is red, and the intes- tines, which are extremely numerous and > tortuous, are white: the length is about an inch, and the breadth not above half a line. a Since the preceding was written, I have been informed by my friend Lord Porchester, that three parts of the young pheasants in his Lord- ship’s menagery, die of a similar complaint, but at a more advanced age, generally at. the time the feathers begin to shew the sexual distinction. This Nobleman favoured me with a specimen for examination, in which the trachea was stuffed with the same species of fasciola. : TI have also had some old partridges lately affect- ed with the same complaint: one that died, was evidently suffocated by these vermes; and, what is remarkable, the posterior half of one of the worms had got through the membrane of the trachea,—the only instance hitherto noticed of that part being perforated. Change of food, and change of place, together with the infusion of rue and garlic, instead of plain water to drink, and chiefly hemp-seed to eat, independant of the green vegeta- bles which the grass-plot of the menagery afford- ed, recovered the others in a very short time. ‘Dec. 28. 1808. _ ACCOUNT OF THE FASCIOLA TRACHEA, 199 > eae rence wh NOTE BY THE EDITORS. An animal similar to that here described, has been observed by Dr Wiesenthal, Professor of Anatomy at Baltimore in North America, an ac- count of which has been published in the ‘‘ Medi- “‘ cal and Physical Journal’’ (1799), vol. il. p. 204. The description given by him, agrees in most particulars with that delivered above, and is ac- companied with a figure of the animal, of the natu- ral size, and also magnified. ‘The only difference is the want of the arm, by which the animal is supposed to attach itself to the inner surface of the trachea. In America, the disease produced by these animals, is not confined to the common fow] ; for Dr W. informs us, that the young turkey is also subject to a similar complaint ; to which the same name (gapes) has been applied, that it has obtained in Devonshire. No internal remedy has been discovered for it: a feather stript to within a little of the point, is intro- duced intothe mouth and twisted round, by which the animals are frequently entangled and with- drawn. The preceding communication is the more valu- able, as a simple remedy is pointed out, which ex- perience has shewn to be very eificacious in remov- ing the disease. ae N 4 200 ACCOUNT OF THE FASCIOLA TRACHEA. That poultry in Scotland, are subject to a si- milar complaint, is highly probable ; for we know that the domestic hen is liable to diseases affecting the organs of respiration, which may proceed from a cause similar to that here pointed out; but no observations have yet been made, which confirm this supposition. [ 202 ]. XIIL Slate d account of . Fin-Whale stranded ! near Alloa. By Pareicx Nurxt, F. A. S. & Sec. W. 5. | (Read 11th February 1809.) On ‘anties morning, the 23d October 1808, alarge whale ran itself ashore on the banks of the Forth, a little way above the town of Alloa. About break of day, the servants belonging to the farm- house of Longcarse were alarmed by the noise of the animal’s blowing, and floundering among the © sludge. Assistance was soon procured from Alloa, and it was killed and secured. As soon as I learned the occurrence, I resol- ved to see the animal; but it was the rst of No- vember before I could accomplish my purpose. By this time, the flenching was over, or the blub- ber had been cut away, and the krang or carcase had been sent afloat with the tide, on account of the very offensive smell it emitted. I found the car case lying on the beach at the village of Lower 202 ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. Airth, about two miles below Alloa, and on the opposite side of the river. It was very much dis- figured ; and consequently I had no opportunity of examining some of the external characters. For several of the particulars, therefore, which I. have now to state, I am indebted to Mr Robert Bald, civil engineer, and manager of the collieries at Alloa, who had carefully examined the animal ‘when complete, and had taken the dimensions with accuracy, and who most readily and politely - answered all the queries I put to him, as far as the observations he had made enabled him to do’ SO. | | . I shall first describe the animal as fully as my © opportunities and information allow, and shall _ then subjoin some remarks as to the species to which it seems allied, | The total length of this whale was forty-three feet. Its circumference, where thickest, immedi- ately behind the swimming-paws, (to use a term suggested by the Reverend Mr Fleming *, for their form and structure were more analogous to those of a hand or foot, than of a fin), was about twenty feet. It had a single dorsal fin, (if the horny protube- rance on the back may be so called), only two feet six inches high, and nearly the same in breadth at the base,—very diminutive certainly when com- pared with the bulk of the animal’s body. This * Anted, p. 134. “ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. 203 fin was placed very far down the back, about twelve feet only from the extremity of the tail, and nearly over the vent. It was of an acute triangular shape, blunt in front, and sloping off to a thin edge behind ; slightly hooked, the curva- ‘ture being towards the tail. From its shape, the sailors engaged in the whale-fishery, call such a dorsal fin a pzke. The under jaw projected about three inches be- yond the upper jaw. It was nearly fourteen feet long. It was somewhat broader or wider than the upper jaw. ) r In the tpper jaw there were two rows of short horny laminz placed perpendicularly, and very | ‘closely set together * : the largest laminz were in ee * By 4orny lamine, I need scarcely observe, I mean the whalebone of commerce. ‘* The substance called whale- “« bone,’ Mr J. Hunter remarks, ‘is of the same nature as “« horn: it is wholly composed of animal substance, and extremely elastic. From this it must appear,’’ he adds, “« that the term dove is an improper one.’’—Phil, Trans. 1784. There is no appropriate and correct term, there- fore, in the English language, equivalent to fanoms in the French. But it is remarkable, that we do possess an appropriate word in the Scottish language. That word is baleen, evidently from the old French. It is still employ- ed by the Scottish whale-fishers. The term appearstohave been familiar to Sir R. Sibbald. In the preface to his ** Phalainolopia,” he says, “« Quedam balene corneas ‘‘ laminas habent, qu nautis nostris dicuntur whales “© with baleen ; quod enim Angli whaleboze, nostri baleen ‘€ yocant.” : sé 66 204. ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. x Nea a teen inches long. fees lamina was dieaolaalle in the thickest part, but became of a greenish or bluish-white colour on the thin side, next the interior of the mouth, where it separated into long white hairs or bristles. There might be about - 300 laminz on each side of the jaw, or 600 in all. The tongue was black, of great size, soft, and nearly smooth. | There were two blowholes, ai and narrow apertures, separated from each other only by a thin partition. They were situated in the epee ven of the upper jaw. ' The eyes were placed on the sides of the head, a very little way behind and above each angle or corner of the mouth. From eye to eye, measuring across the head, was nearly seven feet. The socket of the eye was fully 2! inches in diameter. The skin was black on the back; but, towards the belly, the colour changed to whitish. The cuticle was very fine; the true skin soft, spongy, and of considerable thickness. : The whole skin of the thorax, and upper part — of the belly, was plaited or folded. The sulci, (or plice, as Sir Robert Sibbald calls them), were about two dozen in number. ‘They extend- ed from the lower lip to about four feet beyond the swimming-paws. On the under jaw, they ran obliquely downwards ; but on the belly, they had a straight longitudinal direction. On the fore- part of the body, they were uniform and parallel ; ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. | 205 but they diverged a little towards their: termina- tion behind. The flenchers having found no- _ blubber under the plaited skin, had left a conei- derable portion of it untouched *. The back was rounded next to the head: a little before the dorsal fin, it began to assume a somewhat angular shape, and this form was continued till a subordinate short ridge mark- ed the commencement of the tail. The flat- tened or extended part of this member, was, as in other cete, horizontal, and divided into two lobes. The breadth, measuring between the ex- tremities of the lobes, was no less than ten feet ; its depth was nearly three feet. . The swimming-paws, measuring from the tip to the bone’ or ball) which was received in the socket of the scapula, were nearly five feet long. In breadth, at the widest part, they did not extend to one foot, and they tapered to a pret- ty sharp point. They were narrow at their junction with the body. The socket which re- ceived them, was large, fio 4% inches in dia- site *The use of these folds in the skin of the thorax, which was long a problem, has now been ascertained. They are calculated to permit the animal to swell up a large. pouch or bladder, placed in the forepart of the body. When this bladder -is expanded, the folds disap- pear, and the creature seems then as if striped, the cover-| ed interstices of the folds being of a. paler colour tham the rest_of the skin of the thorax, 206 ACCOUNT OF ‘A FIN: WHALE. The dorsal or largest vertebra, were eight in- ches in diameter. None of the others were laid open so as to admit of examination, | The animal was of the’male sex. ‘ IT regret that I had no opportunity of cstabiintine the stomach, or any of the entrails, putrefaction having proceeded too far. The whole muscular parts of the body had completely lost their fi- brous texture, and become putrid; and. the smell, was exceedingly offensive. In the common Greenland whale, the alos iS from eight inches to one foot in thickness : In, this whale, however, it was, on an average, little more than two inches thick. In the former, I understand, it covers the thorax, as well as the back and'sides ; but in this whale, as already observed, there. was no layer of fat where the folds or sulci oc- curred. ‘The blubber was firm in; texture, and not unlike the fat of pork, when rendered soft or transparent by heat. It does not appear to be so subject to putrescency as the blubber of the. common whale. It filled seven large casks; but, was not expected to yield much oil, compactness not being a desirable quality in blubber. A soap- boiler accordingly, I am informed, bought the whole for the small sum of L. rs Sterling’ °> I cannot help here observing, that the carcase might, along with peat-moss, which abounds in the. neighbourhood, have produced, on Lord Meadow- bank’s principle *, a POLED: of compost manure, 7 iets * « Transactions of the Highland Society of Scotland,” vol. ii. p. 138, e¢ seq. : | \ ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE 207 worth probably a good deal more than the trifling sum procured with so much labour and expense from the blubber. Yet this source of profit, and of agricultural improvement, seemed to have been quite overlooked. or é In regard to the species, to which the whale, which I have now imperfectly described, should be referred, I shall state the result of my exami-_ nation of the most recent book on this branch of natural history, M. La Cepéde’s, “« Histoire des * Cetacées.”” According to this author’s new ar- rangement of the Cete, it must belong to his genus of Baleinoptera, or whales having whale- bone in the mouth, and a fin on the back ; as the termination ptera, from z]egev, intimates. This genus is subdivided into two. 1st, Those that have the skin of the thorax smooth. | 2d, Those that have folds or pit’ on the tho- rax. This last subdivision contains three species. 1. Baleinoptera jubartes, (Balena boops), with -tuberosities near the blowholes... 2.. Baleinoptera rorqual, (Balena musculus), with a very wide and round under-jaw. 3. Baleinoptera acuto-rostrata, “ with both jaws pointed; the upper a little “shorter, and considerably narrower than the “‘ under.” ‘This is announced by La Cepéde as 208 ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE, the Hal-ona rostrata of Gmelin, and the Pike. headed whale of the English*. Considering the enormous bulk of cha: bull; the jaws of the Alloa whale tapered ‘sufficiently, per- haps, to be described generally as ‘* pointed,” and the under jaw did in fact terminate in a little pro- jecting acumination or point, proceeding from a short twisted bony ridge in the middle of the un- der side of the jaw,—most exactly as represented in, a drawing of one of this species sent to La Cepéde by Sir Joseph Banks}. The upper jaw was only a “ little shorter’’ than the under, and it was also somewhat narrower. From the abridged specific character, therefore, assigned by La Cepéde, I was immediately led to conclude, that it was his Baleinoptére museau- pointy that I had seen. | : : _ On turning, however ‘to ‘hee more - detailed ac- ‘count of this species, I was not a little puzzled to be informed, in the very outset, that this is, the least of all the whalebone whales, it appearing, (to / - ® The original name, as employed by Sir R. Sibbald, is Pyked whale, being derived from the pye on the back, er dorsal fin, .Mr John Hunter also uses the name Piked whale. Mr Pennant, however, converted it into Pike-headed whale, as if its head resembled that of 2 pike-— fish. | | + 6 Histoire des Cetacées,” za foco. ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. 209 use his own words, “ qu’elle ne parvient qu’a * une longeur de huit ou neuf metres,’’—from twenty-six to twenty-nine feet and a half: where- as the Alloa whale, was forty-three feet long. It is to be kept in view, that La Cepéde him- self acknowledges that he enjoyed no epportunity of describing the Baleinoptere museau-pointu from his own observation. For all his informa- tion, as well as his figures, he is indebted to the late Mr John Hunter, to Sir Joseph Banks, and _to Geoffroy de Valogne. This last-mentioned naturalist, it appears, examined a specimen taken | near Cherbourg, which measured only four metres and two-thirds, or something nore than fifteen feet. This, La Cepéde considers as a young @ie. Mr Hunter mentions one killed on the Dogger Bank, which measured seventeen feet, and from this spe- -cimen, it seems probable, that Sir Joseph Banks’s figures were taken. In La Cepéde’s description, it is said, ‘‘ Les «¢ fanons sont d’une couleur blanchatre.”’ In the Alloa specimen, they were of a blackish or rather a dirty bluish colour ; and it was remarkable, that the larger lamin were of a darker colour than the smaller; some of the very least, at the extremities of the upper jaw, being nearly white, I have heard it remarked, of the common Green- land whale, that the whalebone of the young ones is much paler im colour, than that of what are termed “ sizable fish.’ The dark colour would seem, therefore, to increase with the age of the : | 210 ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. animal; and I am inclined to believe, that these horny laminz, have this analogy with the teeth of other animals, that they do not all appear at once in the young, but gradually increase in num- ber as the jaw enlarges with the creature’s growth. In the Cherbourg specimen, Geoffroy de Valogne tells us there were only 200 laminz on each side: in the Alloa specimen, there were about 300 on each side. I have stated, that, in the Alloa sa Pe he up- per jaw was only “ somewhat narrower’? than the under; while in the. Baleinoptere museau- pointu, La Cepéde characterizes it as “* beaucoup ‘ plus étroite.’” Iam inclined to suspect, how- ever, thaé La Cepéde has here used too strong an expression through mere carelessness,—a charge of which he may easily be convicted in many instances*. ‘The under jaw being much wider than the upper, is one principal characteristic of the -rorgual or Balena musculus. _But La Cepéde fur- * See the Rev. Mr Fleming’s description of a Nar- wal, p. 147. of this volume.—From information com. | municated to me by my friend Mr William Scoresby junior of Whitby,—a very accurate observer, who has been eight voyages to the Greenland seas,—I am much inclined to suspect, that La Cepéde has constituted his ¢wo species of Narwals without sufficient evi- dence. The older figures of the Sea-Unicorn have no re- semblance to any animal seen in the Northern Seas, fars ther than in possessing a twisted horn: the drawing fur- nished to La Cepéde by Sir Joseph Banks, seems to have been the first appreich to a correct resemblance of the ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. a|rr nishes real evidence to prove his own inaccuracy in this instance : he refersto Mr Hunter’s Piked whale as a synonime; but Mr Hunter’s plate does not represent the under jaw as much wider, and, in his description, he merely says, “‘ In the piked whale, “‘ when the mouth is shut, the projecting whale- “ bone remains entirely on the inside of the low- “er jaw, the two jaws meeting every where ** along their surface.”’ . I may next remark, that Sir Robert Sibbald, when in his Phalainologia, he treats, ‘‘ de Balena ** tripinni qua rostrum acutum habet et plicas in ¢ ventre *,’’ alludes, in my opinion, to a whale of the same species as the one killed at Alloa. In the animal; and the French naturalist, finding it so very different from former figures, has been led to describe it as a new species, /e narwal microcephule. If this view of the subject be correct, the Rev. Mr Fleming’s draw- ing (Plate vi.}), may be considered as the only accurate representation of the narwal yet extant. a * “ ° ° . . * The specific character given by Linneus, in his own editions of the Systema, ‘‘ B. fistula duplici in rostro, > ‘¢ dorso extremo protuberantia cornea ;” and that given by Artedi, “ B fistula duplici in rostro, protuberantia ‘< corniforme in extremo dorso;” apply equally to the Balzna boops,'and to the species now under considera- tion. Butitis worthy of remark, that Sir; Robert Sib- bald’s character, “‘ B. tripinnis. nares habens, cu.n »usiro * acuto, et plicis in yentre,’’ is not liable te this objection, O 2 212 AGCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. London edition, indeed, of the Phalainologia, Mr Pennant marks this as the Pike-headed whale. La Cepéde, however, considers Sir Robert Sibbald’s description as applicable to his Baleinoptera jubar- tes, or Balana boops of Linnzeus; but without any good reason that I can perceive, and he him- self has not assigned any. In the jubarte, the rostrum, far from being acutum, as in Sibbald’s - whale, is, according to La Cepéde, un peu arrondi, — And it would surely be wrong to take it for grant- ed, that so sagacious an observer as Sibbald would ail to take notice of any tuberosities occurring in front of the blowholes, which form a striking part of the specific character of the jubarte ; especially as he is very particular in describing the nares, as he chooses to call the blowholes. Sibbald’s specimen came ashore a little to the westward of Burntisland, on the 17th November 1690 (O. S.). It measured forty-six feet long, and was twenty feet in circumference where thickest. | | if -T have seen a M5. account, by the late Dr Walker, of a whale seemingly of the same spe- cies, and precisely of equal size, which was forced ashore very near to the same spot at. Burntisland, on the roth of June 1761. Dr.Walker named it Balena sulcata, from the longitudinal folds on the thorax ; but as two other species (for, till we be better taught, we must consider them all as di- stinct species) possess similar sulci, this specific ” name is inadmissible. His description is pretty SG" Omd Re. ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE * 213 ~ minute, and agrees, upon the whole, remarkably _ well with the characters of the Alloa whale. He makes no mention of any tuberosities in front of the blowholes, which he could not have over- looked, and which, as already observed, are cha- racteristic of the jubarte, the only species with which the Pike-headed whale could well be con- founded. He is clearly of opinion, that his whale is of the same species with that described by Sir Robert Sibbald, above mentioned ; and he seems to think that it was unknown to Linneus ; for he adds, that he believes no other naturalist has ever described it. The MS. is dated in 1782, when the latest writings of Linneus must have been familiar to Dr Walker. With diffidence, I presume to state, therefore, that the Baleinoptera acuto-rostrata has occurred three times in the Frith of Forth. Two of the specimens, it has been seen, were forty-six feet long ; and the third, forty-three. The circum- stance of their all being so nearly of the same size, may perhaps atiord some presumption, that they were fullgrown animals. It shews, at least, that La Cepéde errs in restricting the size of this species below thirty feet. In concluding, I must, however, observe, that there still appears to be a good deal of uncertain- ty and indistinctness in authors, concerning the species of finners or piked whales. These ani- mals, therefore, deserve the particular attention Of gentlemen who have opportunities of visiting , 03 214 ACCOUNT OF A FIN-WHALE. high latitudes, and who are willing to contribute to the elucidation of a class of animals, which, though the hugest in the world, are remote from the observation of most of the cultivators of natural history. Every specimen, also, which may accidentally be cast on the shores of Great Britain, deserves to be carefully examined and described. By multiplying descriptions and observations, fa- cilities will be furnished for rectifying mistakes, and ultimately settling the species.: salou SE rr ee re [ 215 ] XIV. A List of the rarer Plants observed in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. By Ropert Maveuan, Esq; F. L. S. (Read oth December 1809.) - Since the publication of Lightfoot’s “ Flora Scotica,” in1777, a very considerable addition has been made to the catalogue of indigenous and naturalized plants of Scotland, particularly by the researches of the indefatigable Mr George Don of Forfar, and of the late Mr John Mackay of — the Botanic Garden at Edinburgh. The following list contains an enumeration of such of the rarer species and varieties as have been observed within a day’s excursion of the metropolis. It may be proper to remark, that some of the plants here introduced, though perhaps common in other districts, are exceedingly rare in this part of the country. With regard to habitats, I have endeavoured, as far as possible, to quote the testimony of those upon ‘whose authority the different places of growth depend, adding my own initials to those stations: which rest upon my personal observa- tion. mes 9 4 216 LIST OF RARE PLANTS In thé arrangement and nomenclature of the phenogamous plants, | have followed Hull’s second edition of the “ British Flora,’”?—in the Filices and Musci, Dr Smith’s justly celebrated “ Flora «« Britannica,’’—in the genus Lichen, Turton’s ** General System of Nature,’’--and in the genus Fucus, Turner’s ** Synopsis of the British Fuci.”’ HIpPuris | 7 vulgaris. In a ditch at the west end of Dud- dingston Loch. CIRCA alpina. King’s Park. Mr P. Neill. VERONICA Anagallis. —Duke’s Walk, in the King’s Park, at Edinburgh, and in a ditch near Muttonhole. Rk. M. seuteliata. South side of Duddingston Loch, montana. In Arniston * and Lugton Woods, and about Roslin. | * Arniston, the well known seat of Lord Chief Baron Dundas, who. in the most obliging manner, indulged me with permission freely to explore his extensivé woods, Ca ° in which many of our rarest plants are to be found, such as Pulmonaria officinalis, Galanthus nivalis, Conval- laria majalis, Spirea salicifolia, Lathrea squamaria, &e. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH, 214 UrriIcuLaRIA minor. In the Peat-pits near Ravelrig Toll. Mr Sommerville and LE, 7. Maughan. VERBENA officinalis. ‘‘ Without the gates of Inver- ** keithing *.”’ . SALVIA verbenaca. Upon the bank under Salisbury Craig,—at Burntisland,—and near Pet- tycur. VALERIANA rubra. On old walls at Inverleith. First observed by £. 7%. Maughan. dioica. Bogs to the westward of Borthwick Castle. Mr P. Neill and E. 7. Maughan. pyrenaica. Collington Woods. Mr G. Don. Abercorn Woods. R. M, dentata+. Near Crossgate Toll, about three miles south of Musselburgh. Observed in 1809. R. M. EY _ * This plant is inserted by Lightfoot, in his Flora «¢ Scotica,”’ on the authority of Dr Parsons. + New to Scotland, 218 LIST OF RARE PLANTS ScHoenus , compressus. Neighbourhood of Borthwick Castle. rufus. On the coast, two miles to the gakioata of South Queensferry. Rev. 7. Fleming, Bressay, Shetland. | SCIRPUS _paucifilorus. Leith Links. Mr 7. T. Mackay. syluaticus. By the side of Gogar Burn. Mr G. Don. ERIOPHORUM vaginatum. Boggy places on the Pentland Hills, and near Dalmahoy Hill. polystachion, Pentland hills. Mr G. Don. AcRosTIs vulgaris. var. 2. Pentland ‘illa, Poa aquatica, Banks of Leith river, at Bon- nington bridge. rigida. King’s park,—by tind? side of the road leading from Edinburgh to Had- dington, near Drummore,—and on walls about Burntisland, plentifully. compressa. On walls about the King’s Park. Festuca loliacea. In the marsh at the foot of Salisbury Craigs. Dr Yule. bromozdes. Frequent on walls about Edinburgh. Dr Yule. Ne : FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 219 Bromus | erectus, King’s park. Mr G. Anderson. ARUNDO age colorata. Meadow ground, west end of the North Loch, ‘at Edinburgh. Ba J Maughan. Horpseum | aN pratense. On the east point of Salisbury Craig. First observed by Mr 7. Neill, in 1794. Dipsacus sylvestris. Inch Colm. GaLIUM pusillum, Habbie’s How, in the Pentland Hills. Mr G. Don. , _ erectum. Fishwives Causeway near Portobel- lo. Mollugo. Near Dreghorn, the seat of Alex. Trotter, Esq;—By the road side, at Four-mile-hill, between Corstorphine and Kirkliston. PLANTAGO media. Roman Camp above Newbattle, in the greatest abundance. RK. M. Cornus | suecica. Pentland hills. Lightfoot *. * Qn the authority of the late Dr Hope, one of the few respectable botanists which Scotland has produced. 220 LIST OF RARE PLANTS ILex 3 Aquifolium. var. 2. Ina hedge by the road leading from Edinburgh to Queens- ferry, within a short distance of the ferry. Withering. POTAMOGETON densum. Ditches in the King’s Park. lucens. var. 2. .At Bogsiiill, near Slate- ford. R. M. pusillum. Ina ditch close by the Flint-mill at Musselburgh. A. M. ’ SAGINA maritima. Near the Wet Dock at Leith: Mr G, iJon, LitHosPpERMUM officinale. Arniston Woods, and among the ruins of Koslin Castle. ANCHUSA sempervirens. Deanbank, near the village of Water of Leith. PuLMoNARIA ojicinal’s. Arniston Woods very abundant. Banks of the North Esk near Kevock- miil sparingly. maritima. On the Fifeshire coast near Sea- field Tower. Mr Sommerville, and E. F. Maughan, ~ FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 222 SYMPHYTUM tuberosum. Frequent on the banks of the Water of Leith, as opposite St Bernard’s Well,—Collington Woods,—W oodhall, &c.—I have also observed it in several places on the banks of the North and South Esk. ! Boraco officinalis. On rubbish at Burntisland *. EcuIuM vulgare. var. with white flowers. Hills be- hind Burntisland. E. 7. Maughan. PRIMULA vulgaris. var. 2. of With. Collington Woods. E. F. Maughan. elatior. Woods about Starley Burn near Burntisland, in great abundance +. * Probably the outcast of a garden, + Dr Smith thinks it possible, that this species may be a hybrid- production between P. vulgaris and P. veris. In its long common fruit-stalk, it resembles the latter ; in the expanded border of the blossom it agrees with the former. JI have a specimen, in which, both the Primrose and Oxlip are produced from the same root, correspond- ing exactly with those mentioned by Withering, as being in the possession of my much valued friend Dawson Turner, Esq; of Yarmouth. 222 LIST OF RARE PLANTS CoNVOLVULUS _ sepium. In a hedge by the side ef the rol leading from Abbey -hill to Leith. Dr Yule. PoLemMonium ceruleum. On the coast two miles to the eastward of South Queensferry, growing with Arundo arenaria. RK. M. CAMPANULA latifolia. Collington and Roslin Woods abun- dantly. : glomerata. Hills behind Pettycur. Mr P. Neill. Winks near Gosford. AR. M. VIOLA ae hbirta. Blackford hill. Links between Cock- enzie and Gosford. lutea. Top. of Arthur’s Seat. Mr. P., Neill. Corstorphine hill,—woods near Ravel- rig toll,—Banks of Bevelaw Burn,— ~ and Pentland hills. VERBASCUM nigrum. Links between Seton and Gosford. Dr Yule.—Banks of the river Esk op- posite Coalpits, and at Borthwick Castle. ArRoPa... Belladonna. Among eng ruins of Borthwick . Castle. Mr P. Neill and E. 7. Maughan. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 223. SOLANUM : Dulcamara. Frequent in hedges alvontt Dal- keith. LonicERa Caprifolium., Collington Woods. First ob- served there by R. M. in company with Mr Weatherhead, in summer 1609. EvonymMus europaeus. King’s Park, and near Craigmillar - Castle. RIBEs | | nigrum. Auchindenny Woods. Mr Edward Shuter and R.M. Vinca major. Dundas hill. Mr P. Neill. Col- © lington Woods. R. M. CHENOPODIUM rubrum. West side of the Earthen Mound at Edinburgh, Mr G. Don. Restalrig, Mr epuea dN ETL. | bybridum. Cultivated fields about Edinburgh Dot rare, Mr'G. Don. olidum. Fisherrow Links. Beta | : “ ' maritima. Opposite Gosford gate. Mr P. Neill. Sea-shore near Kirkaldy. Mr Sommerville and E. 7. Maughan. EL ne IRN. 224 LIST OF RARE PLANTS | Guiveraie Amarella, Links to the eastward of Ciceleorrate. R. M. | campestris. Hills between Pettycur and Burntisland. King’s Park. _ HyprRocorTyLe vulgaris. King’s Park, near the west end of Duddingston Loch ; and Figget Whins. CaucaLis ! nodosa. On the bank below Sidietigr Craig, towards Duddingston Loch, and by the side of the road leading from Drummore to the village of Preston. PEUCEDANUM | Szlaus*. Borders of corn-fields near Oxen- ford Castle, the seat of Sir J. Dal- rymple, Bart. First observed by R. M, ih 1809." LicustTicum scoticum. Back of the Glass-works at Leith.— Inch Golm.—Very frequent along the coast between Barnbougle and Hope- ton.—Links near Gosford: R. M. OENANTHE fistulosa. “In ditches and rivulets between. ‘‘ Inverkeithing and North Queensfer- “ ry.” Lightfoot. | ANE SST ch atl iti ssdiecebitienieaney * Supposed new to Scotland. SOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 225, PHELLANDRIUM aquaticum. Ditches near Corstorphine *. CicuTa virosat. Lochend. IMPERATORIA Ostruthium. Near Borthwick Castle. Mr Sbuter and R. M. CaruM } | Carui. Roadside between Newhall and South Queensferry.—Banks of a rivulet near the Village of Abercorn. Mr Shuter and R. M. APIUM : Petroselinum. Old Walls near Inverleith,—on an old wall at Coltbridge,—and by the * Found hy Mr Yalden, above forty years ago, and againin 1801 by Mr P. Neill. I have repeatedly, within these two or three years, searched for it in vain ; which leads me to suspect, that it is now extirpated by the clean- ing out of the ditches. + Perhaps the most poisonous plant indigenous to Scot- land. | P 226 - LIST OF RARE PLANTS* ApIUM “er road. side bates Coblitieton and Dreg. horn*. R. M. graveolens. Ditches in Pail Links, behind Loretto. . Ook SF AUS VIBURNUM Opulus. Auchindenny Woods. &. M.. SAMBUCUS Ebulus. In a field ide the road leading from Edinburgh to Dalkeith, a little beyond Newington, First observed by ‘Mr Je Mackay, Dr Mitchell, and Mr Fj. Neill. nigra. var. 3. Collington Woods, GALANTHUS nivalis, Arniston Woods, in the greatest abun- dance, covering whole acres of ground. Mr Shuter and R. M. ALLIUM vineale. King’s Park. ASPARAGUS officinalis. Links near, Gosford. Observed by E. F. Maughan and R. M. in 1806. * This plant may now be considered as natubalized in Britain, having also been found by my friend Mr Borrer at Arundel and Shoreham in Sussex; and Mr Turner, whose authority I highly respect, thinks it has as good a claim to a place in our Flora as Valeriana rubra. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 227 CONVALLARIA majalis, Arniston and Collington Woods. Mr Sommerville, Mr Shuter, and E. Jj: Maughan. Juncus | uliginosus. Frequent on the Pentland Hills, and in the peat-pits near Ravelrig Toll. PEpPLIs Portula. Braid Hill marshes. Mr G. Don. ~ Rumex sanguineus. Kine’ s Park. Mr P, Neill. Aber- _ corn Woods. R. M. : maritimus. Near Burntisland. ALISMA ranunculoides. In the Hunting Bog. Mr 7. Neill. South-east side of Duddingston © Poach. BE. ) 7! Maughan. Near Burnt- island. Mr G. Don. EpiLoBiumM angustifolium. Habbie’s How, Pentland Hills. ‘In Collington and Abercorn Woods. __ VacciInIUM Vitis-ide@a. Pentland Hills. Oxycoccus. West side of Otterston Loch, Fife- shire. £. 7. Maughan. Marshy ground, Pentland Hills, on sphagnum. a A. PM IE, / PD 228 LIST OF RARE PLANTS DAPHNE © ALTA LRRD . Laureola. apalis Woods. cul. ailing PoLyconum Bistorta. Marshy sual at Roseburn near Coltbridge.—Banks of the North Esk below Kevock’mill. R. Ms » - PaRIs iN nm quadrifolia. “In a wood about a ‘iil to the ‘south of Newbattle*. Sas Buromus umbellatus. Duddingston Peck Mr ers Mal: kay. PyYROLA ‘ ishadifabin Auchindenny Woods. minor. Woods near Ravelrig Toll; Auchin- denny Woods; and at Newhall. CHRYSOSPLENIUM | alternifolium. Roslin Woods, and by the side of Bilston Burn. SAXIFRAGA | umbrosa. Auchindenny Woods, but very rare. Mr Sommerville and Mr Kennedy. granulata. var. flore pleno. Collington Woods. R. AL. * Inserted by Lightfoot on the authority of Dr Parsons. ! ee «a FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 229 SAXIFRAGA tridactylites. On the top of an old wall near Craiglockhart, Mr G. Don. Links a lit- tle to the eastward of Cockenzie. .R. M. hypnoides. Arthur’s Seat—On Dalmahoy Hill.—At Habbie’s: er tt Pentland hills. SAPONARIA. . officinalis. By the side of a road mee from the Dean to Ravelston.—In a lane near Roslin Chapel.—Banks of the river Esk above Coalpits. Zs M. DIaANTHUS barbatus. Banks of the Water of Leith be- tween Coltbridge and Saughtonhall. R. M. Collington Woods. £.. 7. - Maughan. Near Maleny. Mr G. Don. delioides. Banks of Lochend ,—King’ S Park, te . Blackford and Pentland hills. SILENE sat nutans. Hills at North Queensferry. Mr Brown. | SieLiaARia nemorum. Frequent in woods on the Banks | of North and South Esk. glauca. Lochend and Duddingston Loch. ARENARIA | trinervis, Collington and Roslin Woods.— ; Hedges near Redhall. tenutfolia. N ear Pettycur Harbour. Mr By. ug 230 LIST OF RARE PLANTS anglica, Pentland Hills. £. 7. Maughan. ULEx mE nanus. Pentland Hills. Mr G. Don. Vicia sylvatica. On the bank below Salisbury Craig, and in Collington Woods, | sativa. var. 3. King’s Park, and Dalmahoy Hill. lathyroides. Common in the King’s Park, and , on Blackford Hill. re lutea. Hills at North Queensferry. Mr Don. ORNITHOPUS | | perpusillus. In a field near Maitland Bridge. Mr Fobn Mackay, FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. (2347 ASTRAGALUS hypoglottis, In the King’s Park, aiid on the Coast near Granton, plentifully. glycyphyllos. Banks of the Water of Leith be- tween Coltbridge and Saughtonhall.— ‘In many places on ‘he coast between _ Nether Craniond and Queensferry. uralensis. Hills about North Queensferry *. TRIFOLIUM | ornithopodioides. In a field near Maitland Bridge. Mr 7. Mackay. Fisherrow and _ Musselburgh Links. R. M. scabrum. “‘ On dry sous by the sea shore near “* Edinburgh.”’ Lighzfoot. arvense. var, 2. Fisherrow Links. R. M. Fragiferum. Links near Cockenzie. Mr C. Stewart, Leith Links. Mr 7. i. Mackay. Hypericum humifusum. Banks of the river Esk at New- hall, and on the Pentland Hills, | pulcbrum. Pentland Hills, Roslin ae and other places, frequent. — LACTUCA Virosa. King’s Park. * This rare plant, I observed growing most abundantly near the top of a hill, about a mile west of the Ferry, where I have also gathered a variety of it with white flowers. 238 LIST OF RARE PLANTS LEONTODON | ee otal palustre. Pentland Hills. : | HIERACIUM © sabaudum. Roslin and Collington Woods. CircHorium | Intybus. Ina field near Foxhall. R. M. Carpuus tenuiflorus. Very common about Edinburgh. nutans. Fisherrow Links, — West-pans, — and about Cockenzie. -marianus. King’s Park; and at the foot of the rocks, west side of ee Castle. eriophorus. By the road-side near Oxenford Castle. KR. M. heterophyllus. Roslin and Auchindenny Woods. ONoOPORDUM Acanthium. In a field hard by the village of Cockenzie. GNAPHALIUM dioicum. King’s Park, and Dalmahoy Hill. DENECIO viscosus. King’s Park; and Figget Whins. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 239 SOLIDAGO , : Virgaurea. Collington Woods, Pentland hills, and Roslin Woods. ORcHIS : conopsea, var. fore albo. In meadow ground, south of Dalmahoy Hill. Mr Sommer- ville, and E. 7. Maughan. viridis. (Satyrium viride, Fl. Brit.) Small hillocks near Caroline Park gate. Mr P. Neill. Hills at North Queensferry. RM. | | _ Epipactis _ Nidus avis. (Ophrys Nidus avis, Fl. Brit.) Auchindenny Woods. ovata. (Ophrys ovata, Fl. Brit.) Swanston Wood. Mr P. Neill. Meadow-ground | to the southward of Ravelrig Toll. cordata. (Ophrys cordata, Fl. Brit.) In a fir-wood, between Woodhouselee and the Bush, —- Peat-bog, near Ravelrig Toll,—and on the Pentland Hills. Mr Sommerville, and E. 7. Maughan. CyYMBIDIUM | corallorbizon. (Ophrys corallorhiza, FI. Brit.) _ West side of the peat-bog, near Ravel- rig Toll, among salices. Discovered by LE. 7}. Maughan, in 1807. ) ae LIST OF RARE PLANTS ARUM maculatum. Banks of the Water of- Leith, opposite Bogsmill, near Slaicford. Mr G, Don. CHARA | fiexilis. Ditches at Ravelrig Toll;—in a ditch close by the Flint-muill near Mus- selburgh, and in a pond at Powderhall. R. M. LEMNA _ gibba. Lochend and Duddingston Loch. TyPuHa latifolia. Lochend. SPARGANIUM : : | natans. Loch on Dunearn hill. Mr P. Neill. In the peat-pits, south side of Dal- mahoy Hill. E. 7. Maughan. — Carex curta, North Queensferry. Mr 7. Mackay. teretiuscula. North Queensferry, Mr 7. Mac- kay ; and in amarsh at the foot of Dun- das Hill, Wr P. Neill. pendula. Roslin Woods, and in the Duke of Buccleugh’s park at Dalkeith. strigosa. Arniston Woods. distans. Pentland Hills. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 242 @ CaREX. pilulifera. King’s Park, and by the Ride of Bevelaw Burn. stricta. Banks of the Water of Leith, above Currie. ampullacea. Near Duddingston Loch. Beve- Jaw Burn. eran F Russelliana. Common about Edinburgh. peruse: On the banks of the Esk and * Water of Leith, and also. near Ravelrig segangue 2 40 © fragilis, At Ravelrig Toll, and some other places about Edinburgh, but much less frequent than S. Russelliana. arenaria. Collington Woods, rare. Mr G.. Don, and E. ‘7. Maughan. oleifolia. Bogs south side of Dalmahoy Hill. mollissima. Banks of the Esk above Mussel- © Durch, rare: K. MM, EMPETRUM nigrum. Pentland Hills, in abundance. ' | ATRIPLEX _ laciniata. Sea-shore behind Fisherrow. *Hi| CRYPTOGAMIA. Equisetum byemale. In Roslin, and Collington Woods. Q. 242 LIST OF RARE PLANTS OpHIoGLOssuM | vulgatum. In a field near Little Vedi OsMUNDA Lunaria. Hills behind Pettycur harbour, and also on the Pentland Hills, but rare. LycoroDIuM _ Selaginoides. Pentland Hills. Mr P. Neill. alpinum. Pentland Hills. PoLYPropIUM Phegopteris. Arniston Woods, and ag the side of Bevelaw Burn. Dryopteris. Arniston, Roslin, and Auchin- denny Woods; and at Habby’s How, on the Pentland Hills, ASPIDIUM Oreopteris. Arniston Woods, and Habby’s How, on the Pentland Hills. lobatum. Roslin Woods, frequent. ASPLENIUM marinum. Rocks near at Queensferry. septentrionale. Rocks in the King’s Park, and on Blackford and Braid Hills, abun- dantly. SpHAGNUM squarrosum. In the peat-bog, south side of Dalmahoy Hill. * FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 243 BuxBauMia apbylla. Roslin Woods, very rare. Discover- ed by E. 7. Maughan, and RK. M., 31st October 1807. PHASCUM | | piliferum, King’s Park. Mr ¥. Neill. serratum. In a stubble field near the village of Pentland. £. 7. Maughan. GyMNOSTOMUM ovatum. Frequent on mud-topped walls about Edinburgh. _ SPLACHNUM ampullaceum. Pentland Hills. ANDREA rupestris. Pentland Hills. ENCALYPTA ciliata. At Habby’s How, on the Pentland Hills. £. 7. Maughan. GRIMMIA recurvata, Bilson and Bevelaw Burns. Dicksoni. Hermitage. Mr G. Don, and ai Binnycraig, Rev. Mr ileming. recurvirostra, Craigmillar. Browniana. Bilston Burn. Doniana. Upon: oose stones on the Pentland Hills. Mr G. Don. | os alpicola. Collington Wood, by the river Side. Mr G. Dn. : : Q.2 } 244 LIST OF RARE, PLANTS DicraNnuM | majus. Koslin Woods. fuscescens. Pentland Hills. Mr G. ‘Don varium. Collington Woods. ‘AGL iit rufescens. Pentland Hills. Mr G. Daye and E. 7. Maughan *- aciculare. Roslin Woods, by the river side. ovale. Corstorphine Hill. Mr G. Don. pellucidum. Collington Woods, Roslin Woods, | and Bilston Burn. osmundiotdes. Pentland Hills. taxifolium. Collington Woods. adiantoides. Pentland Hills. TRICHOSTOMUM 7 fasciculare. Near Craigmillar, and on the Pentland hills. ORTHOTRICHUM pumilum. Collington Woods. aristatum. On an elder tree in the Botanic Garden. Mr G. Don. ; PTEROGONIUM , gracile. Near Craigmillar. NECKERA crispa. Habbie’s How, on the Pentland Hills, i. JF. Maughan, Hypnum trichomanoides. Collington Wood. * « Discovered in 1782, on a moist bank by the side Of the rivulet at the Hermitage.” Fl. Brit. jx 2220. \ a x FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 245 Hypnum undulatum. In fruit. Roslin Wood. R. M, lucens. Roslin Woods, Collington Woods, and Bilston Burn. alopecurum. In fruit. Collington Woods. R.M. lutescens. Near Granton. E. 7. Maughan. Schreberi. Pentland Hills. Mr G. Don. nitens. Pentland Hills. _ cordifolium. In the peat pits, south side of - Dalmahoy Hill, and on Pentland Hills. stellatum. Bevelaw Burn, and the Pentland Hills, , palustre. Bilston Ter: Mr G. Don. BARTRAMIA arcuata. Pentland Hills. BRYUM dealbatum. King’s Park. Mr G. Don. carneum. Collington Woods, Mr 7. Mackay, and Bevelaw Burn, Mr G. Don. bicolor. On the coast between Burntisland and Aberdour. E. FJ. Maughan. Zierit. Habbie’s How, on the Pentland Hills. L. Ff. Maughan. bimum. Pentland Hills. punctatum.. Very common in Roslin and Col- lington Woods. rostratum. Abercorn Woods. R. M. higulatum, In fruit. Abercorn Woods abune dantly. | 23 240 LIST OF RARE PLANTS * PoLyTRICHUM | a alpinum. Eastern Cairn Hill, one of the Pent- lands. Mr Sommerville* and E. 7. Maughan. , | JUNGERMANNIA polyanthos. Bilston Burn. Mr G, Don. purpurea. Bilston Burn. Mr G. Don. LIcHEN i | | polytropus. (LecipEa polytropa, AcHarit Me- thodus Lichenum). Pentland Hills. miniatus. (ENDOCARPON miniatum, Ach. King’s Park, and on the Castle rock. wnclusus. (THELOTREMA lepadium, Ach.) Bil- ston Burn, on the bark of Lex Aqui- folium. Mr G. Don. | fragilis. (SPHAZROPHORON compressum, Ach.) Pentland Hills. | corallinus. E. B.t. 1541. Pentland Hills, upsahiensis. (PARMELIA wupsaliensis, Ach.) Pentland Hills. tartareus. (Paro. tartarea, Ach.) Ibid. coccineus. (PaRM. Hamatomma, Ach.) Roslin Wood, and on rocks m the King’s Park. pezizoides. (Par. brunnea, Ach.) Pentland Hills, : * Mr THomas SomMERVILLE, was for some time su- perintendent of the Botanic Garden at Edinburgh. He died, (17th March 1810, while this List was in the press), at the early age of 27.' He was a young man of very promising abilities, both as a professional gardener and as a botanist. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH, 247 LicHEN hypnorum. (Parmetta lepidora, Ach.) Roslin Woed. | aguilus. (Parm. aquila, Ach.) Hermitage, Pentland Hills, and the King’s Park. caperatus. (ParM. caperata, Ach.) Craigleith Hill. glomuliferus. (Par. glomulifera, Ach.) Pent- land Hills. | serobiculatus. (Parm. scrobiculata, Ach.) Pentland Hills. pulmonarius. (Parm. pulmonacea, Ach.) Pent- land Hills. physodes. (ParM. physodes, Ach.) Pentland Hills. prunastri. (Par. prunastri, Ach.) Roslin and Collington Woods. jubatus. (Par. jubata, Ach.) Pentland Hills. wslandicus. (CrTraArRia tslandica, Ach.) In the King’s Park, and on Corstorphine, Dalmahoy, and Pentland Hills. glaucus. (Cetr. glauca, Ach.) Pentland Hills. floridus. (Usnea florida, Ach.) Swanston | Wood. bispidus. (CORNICULARIA spadicea, Ach.) Pentland Hills. paschalis, (STEREOCAULON paschale, Ach.) Corstorphine, and Pentland Hills. Mr G, Don, and E. 7. Maughan. Fucus stnuosus. On the sea-shore at Caroline Park. - siliquosus, var. 2. Ibid, 24 eB LIST OF RARE PLANTS. — Fucus | | Si ligulatus. Caroline Park. EE. 7. Maughan. And at Newhaven, Lightfoot ; on lately by Mr P: Neill. dentatus. Between Newhaven and Concitets | pygmaeus. Common on the rocks behind Caroline Park. pinnatifidus. Same place. plumosus. On the beach between Neale and Cramond. rotundus. Caroline Park. E. 7. Maughan. jiagelliformis. Near Nether Cramond. subfuscus. Ibid, Opuniia. On the rocks at Caroline Park. ULva purpurascens. Near Granton. CONFERVA spiralis. In the peat-pits south side of Dal- mahoy Hill. aurea. (Nidularia levis, Withering.) Bilston Burn. Byssus nigra. Roslin Weods. PEZIZA crucibuliformis of Lightfoot. On rotten wood, Fisherrow Links. [ 249°] XV. _Meteorolosical Darnait! kept during Voyages from Whitby to Greenland, and back again, on board the Ship Resolu- tion, in the Years 1807, 1808, and - 1809. | By Mr Witi1am Scoressy jun. M. W.S. (Read 3d Feb. 1810.) 1807. Wind. EE Gene: S. S. Eo 56.24| Fresh breezes, cloudy. Thermometer. #231 4 P.M. 54 S24| Midn. 37 S. b. E. $. W. |58.14|Gentle breezes, fine wr. 25| 8 A.M. 46] North. 58.50} Do. 26 Ad | Do. 59.54| Strong breezes, hazy. 27) 7 P.M. 44 | Do. ..-* | Moderate breezes. 28| 6P.M. 43 | N.W.N.E. {60.00} Fresh breezes, snow. 29] 6 P.M. 4o| 0. 30] 4. A.M. 36 N. E. various. | Zetl.| Strong breezes, snow. North. Do. |Hard gales, do. Sit Midn. 32 Do. Do. | Do. do. Fy 1} 6A.M. 43 to E.N.E. | Do. |Fresh breezes, do. a? 6 A.M. 47 to North. | Do.}| Do. do. By fee. BO | 30.0 Northerly. | Do. |Moderate breezes. 4| Noon, 41 S. W. 60.30] Little wind. 5) 8AM. 45 to W. N. W. |Balta|/ Strong breezes, snow. 6411 A.M, 48 to N.b. E. |Sound| Strong gales. Rain. 7} Noon, 55] 29. Southerly. | Zetl.| Little wind. 8} 4 FM. 50} 29. W.N.W. | Do. |Strong breezes. Rain. i A.M. 38] 3 Variable. Do. | Fresh gales. Rain, zo] 7AM. 42] 29. : Do. | Little wind and rain. 71 logan’ 26| 29. we. KE, 62.34| Fresh breezes, do. » 12/10 A, M. 33| 29-741 Hast. 63.26| Hard gales, with rain. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1807. 250 Thermometer. 213] 8 A.M. 29 a.14| 9 A.M. 25 15} 9 A.M. 25 16| 8 A.M 17 17| Noon, 29 x8} 8 A.M. 32 ig Noon, 39 20 Midn. 35 a1] 9 A.M. 36 22| 9 A.M. 34 23 8 A.M. 29 24| 9 P.M. 24 25 4 A.M. 26 26|\11 P.M. 26 27 1 A.M. 24 23| 8 A.M. 16 29 Midn. 20 30} Noon, 16 mor} r PLM. I8 = ew Abe A.M. 28 3 10 P.M. 20 4ji1 P.M. 14 5| 4 P.M. 18 6| Midnight 27 tk Bik A.M. 34 3} 3 A.M. 20 g| 8 A.M. 19 30, 8 P.M. 21 iI Noon, 22 12] 9 A.M. 20 13} Noon, 17 14 15 35} Midnight18 16] 1 A.M. 26 17|.7 A.M. 24 18} 6 P.M. 27 igfi1t P.M, 22 20 9 P.M. 22 21] 3 A.M. 22 22}Midnight 28 23}, Noon, 31 24}; Noon, 26 251 2 A.M, 29 267 7 P.M. 26 271 2 A.M. 25 28] 11 P.M. 26 29 4A.M. 23 30} 2 P.M. 18 311 6 A.M. 22 barom. — IS eee 29-767) E.N. E. 29.896 Do. 29-649 to 5S. E 29.53;, N.N.E. 30-084 Do. 30-162 Do. 30-00] Ss. S. W. 29.974 5. W. 29.963 Do. 29.894 W.5S. W 29.762| to W.b. N. 29.760|N.b.W.toE.b.S. 29-669] N.N. Bs 29.661 fie 29.6 0. ny E. b. N 29.481 N. N. E 29.701 Do. 30.054| N. N. E. toN 30.007] W.S.W 30.155|Do. and N.erly. 30.178|N. b. E. and E. 30.30 E. to N. E. é oy N. E. + | 30.000 N. N. E. 29.868] N.N. E. 29-804 Do. 29.806 ai 29.752 to iL. Fig a N. NE. 29.479] N. b. W. 29.457] N. W. 29.468 N. W. 29.600 5. W. 29-780 W.S. 'W. 29.782 WwW. N. W. 29.764 N. to ‘—E. 29.803] N. W. N. E. 29.760] N.N.E. SON | aa TRY cam hah Do. 29.798 N. b. W 0.002 N. E 30.011 E. b. N 29.880] N. E. b. N 9.910] Do. to N. 29.836\N. to N. N. W. 29.778 N.N. W. - 29.812 to N. 7 Remarks. 63.52| Hard gales, 64.20|Strong gales, cloudy. 66.10] Long. 6° 30’ W, Lat. 64° 37’ var. 35° W. 66.8 |Hard gales, with snow. 65.24) Do. do. 65-13] Little wind. 67.21|Strong breezes, cloudy. ' 69.471 Fresh breezes, hazy. 72.04| Fresh breezes, foggy. 73.40! ‘Do. do. a 75-09| Strong breezes, fine wr. 74-59|Mod. breezes, cloudy. — 75-00] Fresh breezes, do. i 75-19] Do. do. 75.36) Little wind. 75.30|Fresh breezes, snow. 75.20|Strong gales, snow. 75.10|Do. showers of snow. — .| 75-20|Fresh gales, much snow. 75.7 |Little wind, variable. 74.26|Strong gales. 75-55|Strong breezes. 75-57|Fresh gales, and clear. Moderate breezes. Little wind. Fresh breezes, cloudy. Brisk gales, with snow Fresh gales, with snow. -3C|Fresh breezes, do. . Do. do. Strong breezes, do. Fresh breezes, do. Do. cloudy. Very little wind. , Mod. breezes, cloudy. Do. snow. Light airs, often calme Fresh breezes, cloudy. Inclinable to calm. Calm. Moderate breezes. Do. cloudy. Little wind, variable. Do |Fresh breezes, cloudy. | Do. with snow. Fresh breezes, snow | 75.55| Strong breezes, do. 75.51 Fresh breezes, cloudy. ” METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1807. 251 Remarks. ' 75.48 | Calm. 4 75.46 | Moderate breezes. 3 | 75-49 | Little wind, variable. ‘ +5.59| Strong breezes, hazy. 5: 76 16] Brisk gales, with rain. 6 | 76.20] Little wind. o IN. ° ' 76-36 Do. 8/11 A.M. 28) 2y. » b. 3: 76-35 | Light airs, variable. g [Midnight 32 } .b. W. | 76-4° | Fresh gales, cloudy. to| 5 A.M. 32 76.48 | Little wind, and foggy. 1 | 76-50 | Sometimes nearly calm. 12 -6-49 | Fresh breezes, cloudy. 13 76-52 | Brisk gales, and cloudy. 14 77-00] Fresh gales, with snow. 15 76.54 | Moderate gales, do. 16 76.50} Do. do. 17 77.00] Do. do. 77.34| Mod. breezes, foggy. 76.26) Fresh, do. do. 74.47 | Moderate breezes, do. 73.56| Fine moderate weather. 42.46| Fresh breezes, cloudy. 70.51 Do. do. 69.00 | Gentle breezes. 68.5 | Fresh gales, and cloudy. 65.41 | Strong gales, do, 63.46 | Mod. breezes, cloudy. 62.27 | Little wind, fine weather 61.35| Do 60.30| Do, cloudy. Baneeeane Pty 1 Pacer From the above journal, I find that the medium height of the barometer, in the month of May 1807, was 29.852; and between April 23. and June the roth, 29.817 between the latitudes of 75° and 773° N. The medium height of Fahren- heit’s thermometer, in May, being 23°, and for the above time, 25°.5. The barometer was always ob- served about noon, and the thermometer at the time specified in the second column, METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1868. 1808. 252 Thermometer. Baron. oo det ee een SABE es Ea $16] Noon, 40| 30.29 D4 oe: a 56.30 | Strong breezes, cloudy. @17 —| 30.2 S. 59-43 Strong gales. , ‘ = 18), oes eh al 5S. b. E. Zetl. | .»Dos a IQ} --—— —| 30.13 S.b. E, Do. | Hard gales, cloudy. 20} —— 36)30.20] S.S.E. Do. | Very hard gales. 21) a. 88] 30,30 5. b. E. Do. Strong gales, snow.. 221) oat mn! 20.5 3 S.1S. BE: Do. | More moderate,, snow. 23, —— —|} 30.53. Everly. Do. | Moderate breezes. ’ A a) aoe | SaaS | LO Do. | Light airs, fine weather, BT tins) eh Ie RO Eisi Ee 61.6 | Fresh breezes, ‘clear wr. 26, —— —J|30.60} S. E.erly. 91,46 Do. cloudy. hg REI ESE §.S.E. | 61.50 | Strong gales, snow. 28 >) 2a. ee S.5.W, | 63.47 | Fresh gales, do. | 29} Noon, 36| 30.37 | to S. W.b,S. |.o5.10 | Light airs, variable... 30, ——— 26) 30-42 ye 65.29 | Fresh gales, squally. _ 31; —— 22] 30.17 to North. |65.10} Fresh gales, with snOW.s 7 1] —— —j/——] N.Everly. _|65.11 | Moderate weather. a } a 2 24| 29-56 S. E. 66.49 | Strong breezes, snows — 3) 10 A.M. 26] 29.54 | to E.b.N. {69.52} Fresh gales, with do. 4} Noon, 32] 28.62 to S.E. | 66.59] Very strg gales, thick sn. 5} 8 A.M. 28] 28.03 | N.W.erly. | 66.509] Do. calm.towards night. 6} 8 A.M. 15|29.40 | W.N.W. |67.3 | Hard gales, squally. « 7| 9 A.M. 16] 29.26 N. . | 67.32 | Strong gales, shrs snow. 8 Anata 29.52 N.N.W.. [68.15] Do. snow. 9 25| 29-93 | to S.S.W. |68.4 | Fresh breezes, clear. TO}1O A.M. 36| 29.32 Do. 68.58 | Latter part of day calm. itl 136) 20090 N.b. W. 70.44| Fresh breezes, little wd. 12] —— 34] 29.62 to S. E. 71.20] Fresh gales, noon. 13| g A.M. 33] 29-53 | to E.b.S.. | 72.45 | fresh gales, shrs. snow. r4jt1 A.M, 25) 29-53 to N.E. 73.20]. Do. do. 15| 9 A.M. uf 29:90] toE.N.E | 73.2 Do. da. 16] Noon. 22] 29-93 |do. to N. b. E.| 73-10 | Strong gales, cloudy. a oy) Midiiicbias 30-03 |to N. Z.b. N.} 73.15 Do. 18] 8P.M. 27139-35 | to E.N.E. | 73-20] Do. * 19| 8 A.M. 22] 30.18 E.N.E. 73.15 | Strong gales, cloudy. 20] Noon, 27] 30.22 JE. to E.S.E:| 72.36] Do. with snow. | 21 |Midnight25| 30.30 |to N. E. b. E. | 73.00 | More moderate weather, 22/10 A.M. 28] 30.48 to S.E. 73,24 | Moderate breezes, snow. — 23) 11 P.M. 25} 30.15 | SE. to E. | 74.43 | Fine moderate weather. 24|Midnight2*} 29.93 | S.W. to N. | 75.30 | Light airs, fresh breezes — 25| 4P.M. 15] 29.96 | N.W.toE. | 76.151 Strong breezes, variable 26} Noon, 10] 29.94 | N.W.b.N. [76.20]. Do. with snow. 271.4 P.M; 9] 30.26 to N. E. 76.12] Strong gales, snow. 28\11 A.M. 12}30.36] toE. 76.20 | Light airs. 29| 2A.M. 13] 30.12 E 76.20| Do. 30] ——- 24]29.54 | do.toN.E. | 76.20 | Strong gales, snowe —_ Lal ~tt - ed “ts N fod 2 Ow on Ain BO Do. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1808. 253 ar Midnight27 a Wi inds. ce Lat. 23 |N.E. to E.S.E. 70.17 ES. Ey tos, 76.50 to S. E. 7.762 Si ee 77-6 N.erly 77°20 S.F. to E. | 78-00 E. toN 78.00 3.S.E. toE.S.E. 78-00 E.S. E. to N. |} 78-00 77°59 W.N.W.S.W.| 77°59 Variable... | 77°50 155 |N.W.toN.N.E| 77-49 NN. E. 01-77-39 N.N.E 77°50 to N.b. W.. 177°55 N.erly. 17894 W.S. W 78°13 N.erly. 77°55 WEN, Wee 77°59 NN. W. “77°58 SUB: 78°30 to N. W.b. N.| 78°37 FIN db, 78°36 Do 78°36 Do. 78-37 De. 78043 nelin. to calm| 78.43 Calm, 79.35 Ss. W. 78.25 S.erly. 78.20 W.S. W 78.29 S.erly. 78.10 Variable. | |77-5° N.W.erly. | 77.18 a0..W. 1 77:6 8. Weerly. | 76.37 Do. 76.35 Calm 77°50 S. 5. W: 77°40. Variable. 77°45 Remarks. Strong gales, shrs. snow. More moderate, do. Fresh gales, with snow. Little wind. Fresh gales, with snow. Strong gales, snow. , Moderate gales. Moderate breezes. strong breezes, or calm. Little wind. Calm fine weather. Fresh gales, and foggy. Fresh breezes, snow. Fresh, mod. breezes. Mod. breezes, or calm. Do. hazy. | Fresh breezes, snow. Do. do. Strong breezes, cloudy. Light airs, and cloudy. Mod. breezes, snow. Calm. Mod. breezes, foggy. Little wind, fair weather Do. do. Strong breezes, snow. Do. do. Little wind. Fresh gales, much snow. Light airs. Do. inclinable to calm. Fresh breezes, snow. inclin. to calm, foggy. Do. do. Calm clear weather. Fresh breezes, hazy. Light br. fog, haze, Sie ~ Do. do. Do. inclinable to calm. Inclinable to calm. Light airs, or mod. ‘br. Strong breezes, foggy. Fresh gales, and fogsy: Do. with fog. 254 METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1808. Thermometer. |Barom. Winds. Lat. | . Remarks. 76.30 |Strony breezes, foggy. — 75-58 Rios breast Pi 3h ts 74.00 |Fresh gales, and foggy. 74.2 |Strong gales, clear. © 73.47 |Strong breezes, foggy. — 7..o {Little wind, and foggy, 72.55 |Mod. br and cloudy. — 72.55 [Strong breezes, do. 7'.2¢ Strong gales, ani hazy. 7.40 |Fre-h breezes, foggy. ¥6,00;| ) ie dae * 69.23 |Little wind, and foggy. 63.2" |Light airs, and foggy. — 67.5 |inclinable tocalm. = 66.44 |Light breezes, foggy. 65-47 |Fresh breezes, do. 65-24 |Fresh gales, with rain. — 64-40 |Fresh gales, rain or fog. 63-2 |Strong gales, shrs. rain. 61.26 |Mod. strong br. clear. _ 62. {Fresh breezes, clear. 5°. © |Mod. breezes, clear wr. — 57-40 |Light br. somets. calm. 55-0 [Fresh breezes, variable. 14) 3A.M. 34 29.90 | S. Weerly. B15] 4 P.M. 341}30.06 |S. W. to 5.b.E. ¥¢} Noon, 34}29.84 to S. E. 17} Noon, 34129.60 E.erly. _18}t1 A.M. 38 {29.82 E.S. E, 19] 3 A.M. 38}29.90 | to S.S.W. 2c] 9 A.M. 4230.00 | 5S. W.erly. 21} Noon, 3%] ;0.00 S.S. W. 22}Midnight38} 30.23 | to S.b. W. 23| —— 371/29.94 | Variable. 241 —— 39/3012] S.W.to 5S. 25} 4P.M. 42}29.94 Se io ot 26] Do. 44/30.12 | W.N.W. 27| 4A.M. 47} 30.18 | Incl. co caim 281 Noon, 42] 30.05 N. or S. 29}18 P.M. 43/30.07 | 5. W.er y. golit P.M. 46} 30.05 W.S. W. 1; WNoon, 5: | 30.00 W.s. W. 2) ——» 45/3017 |W.5S.WtoN.W 3} —— 47]|30.15 IN. W.eerly. 4)11 A.M. 50]/35.10 JN. W. to N.E. 5 == 50/35.07'| N-Eeb. N 6| Noon, §58]30.20 | 0 W.bN 4| Noon, 59]30.09 |W-.b.N.toS.¢ W The above Journal was kept, like the former one, with great care. The thermometer was of Fahrenheit’s construction ; the barometer a marine one, said to be the same which was round the — world with the great circumnavigator Captain © . Cook. On account of the manner of suspension, (in gimbles), and the contraction in the tube,inthe _ greatest storms the height of the mercury may be ascertained to j.th of an inch, and in moderate weather to 4th or ;2,th partofaninch, | According to this Journal, in the month of May _ 1808, between the latitudes of 76° 17’ and 78° 306° North, the medium height of the barometer, ob- served always at noon, was 29.81 inches, and of Fahrenheit’s thermometer, 253°" The most pre- — vailing winds, during the whole season, in Green- land, were between the North and East quarters. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1809. 255 oh 1809. Thermometer. | omemnel Remarks. Mod. breezes, and clear, eee 30.09 NW.N.W.b.W 6 P.M. 29 | — — S. E.erly. Zetl.| Fresh gales, with snow. g A.M. 21 | 29.92 HN 72.40 | Strong br. or fresh gale. 9 A.M. 21 | 29.86 N.E.erly. | 72-45 | Strong gales, snow. —— 19/2954 | N.E.&var. [72-30 Fresh br. or fresh gales. 11 A.M. 21 | 29.87 | N. variable. | 72-51 Mod. clear weather. Noon, 25|29- 2 | Do. N. N. W. | 73-12| Mod. breezes, variable. 8 A.M. 23 | 29.85 | NNW oESE.| 474-00} Do. do. ' W.N.E.S.E.| 74-20| Mod. breezes, light airs, y S.E.toSS W.| 73-8 | Fresh br. fine clear wr. 42 |SSW.toWDb.N.| 73-52| Fresh gales, fine weather : W.b.N.toN.W| 73-43 | Mod. br. shrs. of snow, : to §.S.W. |73-30| Do. do. hanasu 6 32S toS.W. |74.2 | Fresh gales, with snow. | Midnight3o | 29.36 |. to W.N. W. 174-1 Fresh breezes, squally. 9 A.M. 28 | 29.60 inclin. to calm.| 73-52] Inclin. to calm, snow, s. 10 A.M. fQ | 29.63 N.N.E. or E. | 74-3 | Moderate breezes. 9 A.M. 7 | 29.82 N. E.N. 73-56| Fresh gales, frost rime, 11 P.M. 12 | 29.68 E.N. E. 74.15 | Mod. br. or fresh gales, 10 P.M. 10] 29.84 | to N. E.b. E. | 74.5 | Strong gales, frost rime. aye 29.87 |, toE.b.N. | 73-54 Strong gales, snow. 10 A.M. 36 | 29.94 to §.b. E. 74.10} Fresh gales. Noon, 36 | 30.00 toS.b.W. | 74.10| Moderate light breezes. 10 P.M. 32 | 29.38 S.E. toW.5.W.| 73.49 | Light airs. 10 A.M. 25 | 29.53 | WSW to NNE| 73.43] Fresh gales, fr. br. snow. 10 A.M. 27 | 29.72 | to W. N. W. | 73-38 | Fresh breezes, fr. gales. 8 A.M. 21 | 29.76 to N. E. 73-50} Fresh gales, variable. Midnight19 | 29.80 N.E.calm. | 74.10| Fresh gales, snow, calm. 10 A.M. 13 | 30.20 |N.N. E.N.E. | 74-45 | Fresh br. snow showers. 10 A.M. 16|30.15 | N.E.calm. | 75.00] Strong breezes, calm. —— 16)30.04 | NW.W. 175-9 | Fresh mod. br. cloudy. 4 A.M. 19 | 30.00 | W.N.& Everly] 75-45] Mod. gales, light br. 4 A.M, 20 | 30-02 E.erly. 76.3 | Light airs, inclin. calm. 10 A.M. 22 | 29.78 toE.S.E. | 76.4 | Do. calm. 8 P.M. 30 | 29-35 to S.E. | 76.8 | Strong gales, small snow 6 A.M. 23 | 29-79 |S.E.N.E.N.W.| 76.6 |} Light airs, or mod. br. Noon, 32|29.65 | N.W.S.W. | 76.16] Fresh or mod. br, clear. 1 A.M. 31 | 30.03 |S.W.toN.N.W| 76.30] Fresh br. fog or snow. “Noon, 31 | 30.12 toS.E. | 76.26] Mod. breezes, cloudy. 4 P.M. 31 | 29-73 toS.S.E. | 76.32) Mod. breezes, foggy. Midnight2:1|}3006 | toW.b.N. | 76.24] trong gales, cloudy. 4 A.M. 17 N.erly,variable 77.8 | Mod. light br. variable. June i | “7 Qin BOW pb i Thermometer. 1 A.M. 20 Midnight23 Noon, 23 5 A.M. 22 rr A.M. 28 11 A.M. 26 11 P.M. 24 Noon, 30 About 29 3 A.M. 27 8 P.M. 25 5 A.M. 30 Noon, 29 Noon, 31 Noon, 30 10 P.M, 32 Noon, 32 Noon, 27 4.P.M. 27 fog ee és rays, .4 P.M. 30 ee, 82 32 ciceoes 32 Midnight34 10 P.M. 312 Noon, 32 gt eo 13 pu wae 1 A.M. 35 6 P.M. 34 3 A.M. 32 Noon, 35 A Pla ig3 Bar. * 29.87 29.87 29.80 30.04 30.05 30.05 30.06 30.02 30.24 30.20 30.10 30.06 29-95 29.98 29.88 29.86 29-93 30.06 30.07 29-97 29:82 29-68 29-50 29-62 29+9° 29-91 29°67 29-31 29-91 29-82 29°59 29-64 29-94 29-94 29-82 29.80 29.80 29-75 30-04 30-07 30.07 |. Midnight32 | 29.80 ere ial Ca ee dl Piiae Po 29.08 METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1809, : "inds. Lobe Lenny North. 77.20 | Light airs, variable. to N.b. W.. | 77-20 Strong: gales, with snow.. to N. E. —--| Do. do. N. E. — —| Fresh gales and cloudy. N. E.erly. | 79.00] » Do. do. to N.N.E. |.79.00 | Fresh or str. gales, snow. N. E.erly. | 79.00 | Fresh gales, snow shrs. — N.E 78.56 Fresh gales, and cloudy. N. E. 49-4 | Fresh breezes, cloudy. — Calm E.erly. | 79-4 | Inclinable to calm. Easterly. | 79-4 | Do. or moderate br. © E.N.E. | 79.00} Light airs, or do. E.N.E. 49.00 | Light br. haze, snow. S.E.erly- | 79.4 | Light br..cloudy do. — S; Sa BE. 79.8 | Do. calm, snow shrs.° to W.N.W. | 79.2 | Strong gales, do. | W.S.W. | 79.0 | Moderate breezes, do. 5. Weerly. | 79-2 Do. do. to $.S. W. 8.55} Do. slight do. S.erly, W.N.W | 78.52} Da. fog showers, W.N W. calm} 78.50 | Light airs, inclin. calm, S.S.E. 79.0 | Fresh breezes, snow sh.) Do. E. 79.0 | Var. thick snow or fog, — E.S.S.W. | 79-0 | Mod, fr. br. do.inc. calm” 5. W.N.S. W. | 79.30 | Moderate breezes, clear, 5. W.erly. | 79.30 | Strong br. snow showers. to East.. | 79.50 | Light airs, inclin. calm, to5S.W.S. | 79.50} Do. or fresh breezes. Variable. | 79.45 | Light br. fog, snow shrs, Variable, 79-45 Do. do. North, &c. | 79.57 | Mod. br. snow showers. Variable. | 79.30 | Moderate or fresh br. N. W.5S.S. W.| 79.0 | Strong br. snow, fog, sh. Calm. 78.50 | Inclinable to calm. Very variable. | 73.48 | Light airs, inclin. calm, variable, S.erly| 78.6 | Light airs or fresh br. S.erly, N. W. | 77.40 | Moderate breezes. © Variable. 77.30 | Do. or light br. variable — Calm. 77.30 | Chiefly calm, snow. ~ Easterly. | —-— | Inclinable to calm. to South. | 77.30} Light airs, strong br. toN.W. | 75.45 | Light airs, mod.br. snow to North. | 74.20 | Fresh br. or little wind. S.b. E.S. W. | 73.48 | Light breezes, fr. gales. METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, 1809. 259 Thermometer.| Bar. | Winds. Lat. Remarks. = 81 Noon, 32] 29-94} toW.N.W.. | 72.48] Fresh gales, snow shrs. rs, g| Noon, 35} 29-74| toS.S. W. 71.50| Do. or little wind, rain. 10] Noon, 43| 29.73] N.W.and5S. | 70.32] Strong gales, mod. br. 11] 4P.M. 43| 29.37 |W.erly, 5.5.W. | 70.34 | Strong breezes, do. gales 12} 8A.M. 36 29450 to N. W., 69.50| Do. do. snow. 13} Midnight 36 | 29.90 N. W. 68.21| Fresh gales, cloudy. — —/29-75| S.Weerly. | 67.37| Light breezes, fr. gales, 15|10 A.M. 46| 29-60] _ S. E.erly. 66.33] Fresh gales and rain. 16} Noon, 48] 29-55 | N. and E.erly. | 64.49| Mod. breezes, dry wr. 17| 2P.M. 48] 29.54 | N. E. and var. | 62.54] Fresh gales. 18| 8 P.M. 45] 20.65] N.E.andN. | 60.10] Fresh gales, with rain. Ig] —— 48] 30.01| N.E. Weerly. | 57.38} Do. fresh breezes, rain. 20] Noon, 62} 30.30 to N.E. 56.00] Fresh breezes, light airs 21| 4P.M. 62] 30.32] Variable. §5-50| Light airs, inclin. calm. 22| Noon, 54| 30.29] 5S. E.erly. 55-00; Do. do. 23| SA.M. §4/ 30.08; S.E.erly. | 54-30| Light breezes, and clear , [o2g8-7 ame ey Wis seem nnen et : : KV. Observations on the Natural and Me- dical History of the Zetland Sheep*. By Artuur Epmonpston, M. D. Fellow of the’ Royal College of Surgeons, and Member of the Royal Physical, Antiquarian, and Chirurgical © Societies of Edinburgh. ( Read 10th NMareB 18 10. ) Tuers is no animal more generally useful to man than the sheep. [Its gentle disposition, the facility with which it can be tamed, the delicacy of its flesh, and the richness of its covering, early rendered it essential to human society ; and in the progress of arts it constituted a principal source of the wealth of nations. The management of sheep, the improvement of the different races, and. the cure of their diseases, have, therefore, become pursuits of general interest ; and every fact which * This paper is an enlargement of what is stated on the same subject by the Author, in his work, entitled, «¢ A View of the ancient and present state of the Zetland é8 Islands,” 2. vols. 8vo. As the additional observations given here, might have been rendered less complete and intelligible by appearing in a detached form, it has been judged proper that the original passages from that work . should be reprinted along with them.—Epitor. 4 4 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. 259 tends to illustrate these subjects, naturally claims our attention. It is while uninfluenced by the effects of | domestication that we can best observe those instincts which guide animals, and trace the ope- ration of external powers which affect their con- stitutions. As the sheep in the Zetland Islands, in- stead of being under the controul of shepherds, are permitted to range acéording to their inclina- tion, they exhibit in their modes of life, the natu- . ral propensities of the species, and we can there- fore, in that country, attain a knowledge of some of the peculiarities which actuate the race. _ The native Zetland sheep is very small, com- pared with those of the southern parts of Scot- Jand and England, the carcase not weighing more, on an average, than thirty pounds. It is of a hand- some shape, hardy, and very swift and agile. The general length, from the tip of the nose, to the root of the tail, is about thirty-eight inches, and the height, from the top of the shoulder, to the - sole of the foot, fourteen inches. The tail seldom exceeds three inches in length. The horns are small, and the ears stand erect. The ram has sometimes four large and beautiful horns. The upper pair gradually diverge a little backwards, and then curve in towards the ears and sides of the head, in a spiral form, somewhat like those on the head of the black-faced heath ram of York- shire. The lower pair are nearly of a semicircu- . lar shape, with the extremities almost meeting. under the throat. | 260 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. . A breed of sheep exactly similar to that in Zet- land, appears to exist in Iceland*, and im the Faro Islands; and it is probable, that both have sprung from the same source; and that similar causes and modes of management have continued. to preserve the identity between them. The Zetland sheep are of different colours, as white, grey, black, speckled, and a dusky brown, called moorit. ‘The face is generally of the same colour with the body, and is somewhat shorter in proportion, than among the sheep of Scotland. The prevailing colour is white, with but little ad- mixture. ‘The next is the grey. Some are al- most entirely black, with only a small portion of white, above one or more of the hoofs. More fre- quently, the forehead, face and legs, and a part of one thigh, are white, and the rest of the body perfectly black. There is nothing of that unifor- mity of colour among them, corresponding to what takes place in the black-faced sheep of this country. ) The quality of the wool varies very much on the same animal; the thighs and back yield- ing the coarsest, and the neck and breast the finest wool. Stockings have been made of the wool from 5d. to 30s. per pair; and it is by no means uncommon to obtain the materials from which both are manufactured, from. the same " * Von Troil’s Letters on Iceland, p. 136. . + ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. 26k animal. Generally speaking, softness and fineness are characteristic properties of Zetland wool, in which gzespects, it is not surpassed even by the Merino wool. | | The ewes yean in the months of April and May, atid a few even in March; and they gene- rally drop one lamb each. It is by no means un- common for a ewe to drop two lambs, and some three. In most parts of the country, the lambs suck as long as their mothers permit them, which is between three and four months. In those districts where it is considered an object to milk the ewes, the lambs are gagged for several hours to prevent them from sucking. ‘This operation is called kaveling the lambs. | In Zetland, almost all the sheep run wild on the hills, and they appear to be fond of climbing like goats among the rocks, in search of rich tufts of grass. Many suffer from this practice, by venturing on places from which they cannot re- turn. In winter, the arable land is intentionally thrown open to their incursions; but in summer | and autumn, every effort is practised to exclude them from the inclosures. As the dikes, however, are low and ill built, the sheep frequently leap over them, and often seriously injure the crop; and in some parts of the country, it is the custom _ to chace them from the neighbourhcod of the . farms by dogs, every night at sunset, while the — commas on the ground. Although large tracts of R 3 262 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. pasture are common to several farms, yet the sheep which belong to each, seldom stray far be- yond their proper limits, and if transported to a distant district, frequently return to the ae, of their nativity. | The different owners know the particular indi- viduals which belong to them, by a mark on the ear, and the people can discriminate slight dif- ferences of this kind with wonderful accuracy, even at a great distance. In summer, they are driven into a small circular inclosure called a crue, for the purpose of taking off the wool. ‘The native sheep are seldom shorn, but about the be- sinning of June, when the fleece begins to loosen spontaneously, it is pulled off by the hand. ‘This operation is called rooimg the sheep. They are left very bare after it; but the people say, that the wool on the animal continues much finer when it is removed in this manner, than by the shears. Except for the purposesof rooing, milking, kaveling and marking them, on all other occasions the sheep are caught by dogs trained for the purpose. It is surprising to see with what accuracy a dog singles out the particular sheep from among a flock ; and in a short time, the individuals who are not the objects of pursuit, appear to be sen- sible of the election in their favour, and become comparatively tranquil, while the other is hunted down: oe Although thus early accustomed to view the dog as an enemy, they readily associate together; for ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. 263 ifa lamb happen to be reared in the house, in consequence of the early death of the mother, it plays and even fights with dogs, and readily joins them in the pursuit of other animals. The sheep are never taken under cover in the winter time ; nor in case of snow, is there any food provided for them. On this latter account, they suffer greatly, having little else to feed upon, for weeks in succession, but the sea-weed grow- ing on the shores, or what has been drifted on the beach by the surf. It is curious to observe with what precision they leave the hills, and be- take themselves to the sea-side, at the moment the tide of ebb commences. This I can state to be an absolute fact, although I am utterly unable to explain by what process of sensation or of in- stinct it is effected. From remaining quiet on the hills, and endeavouring to browse on their summits, a whole flock is seen suddenly to run towards the sea-shore, and on observing the state of the tide, it is found, that the water has just be- gun to recede. ~ On the coming on of a storm of snow, they re- tire tothe more sheltered places, which are ge- nerally in the neighbourhood of the sea. There they are frequently snown over, and by the sub- sequent melting and falling down of the snow, are sometimes thrown over the rocks into the sea. On such occasions, they frequently assemble in considerable numbers on the side of a hill, and place themselves in such a manner as that their R 4 264 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. heads all incline towards the centre. By this ar- rangement, their breath keeps them warm, and dissolving part of their icy covering, forms a kind of vault above their heads. In this: situation, they have been known to remain for many days, during which they appear to maintain life, by eating the wool from off each other’s backs. Such a mode of managing the sheep, no doubt renders them obnoxious to many diseases, and it is certainly an ungrateful return to those who so often have —given us milk in luscious streams, And lent us ¢Jezr own coat against the winter’s cold. § | Yet, except in seasons when the weather is un- usually bad, and the food scanty, they may be said to be comparatively healthy ; and the most severe and fatal\distempers with which they are afflicted, have been imported into the country, within a period of forty years. Blindness first made its appearance among: the Zetland sheep, in 1770, and it was traced to communication with a ram from Montrose, which laboured under the disease at the time he was brought to the country. This affection consists in the formation of a film over the whole anterior part of the cornea, which produces complete blindness. When the attack is not very violent, it wears off in about a fortnight, and it is observed to disappear more readily, when the animal is left to run at large, than when taken into a house ; ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. 265 But if not protected, it suffers greatly by falling into mossy pits, and over rocks, and from the at- tacks of birds of prey. Mr Stevenson, the Reverend Mr Singers, and Mr Hog *, have each assigned causes for this af- fection, which, as applied to the production of blindness in Zetland, appedt to me to be unsatis- factory. Mr Stevenson ascribes it to the reflection of heat and light, in very sunny and dry weather, | as it is observed, he says, to be more frequent when the hills become scorched, and on hard rocky soils, than on dark-coloured hills, covered with heath. The parish of Delting, into which the disease was first introduced, consists almost entirely of dark-coloured mossy hills; and this to- — pographical fact, coupled with the general damp- ness of the climate of Zetland, tend to shew, that the exciting causes mentioned by Mr Stevenson, never had operated where the disease raged with its greatest malignity. The Reverend Mr Singers conceives, that ae affection may be produced sometimes by the pol- len of flowers, irritating the eyes of the sheep, when blown in considerable quantity. In the hilly * A Treatise on the diseases of sheep, drawn up from original communications presented to the Highland So- ciety of Scotland, by Andrew Duncan junior,-M. D. Transactions of the Highland Society, vol. iii. 266 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. pasture of Zetland, there is not the appearance of a flower in the course of many miles; and the few which do yield pollen, occur in the inclo- sures, from which the sheep are carefully exclud- ed during the summer. Mr Hog ascribes blindness to continued fatigue and exertion, and endeavours to illustrate his opi- nion by the examples of the affection occurring im a severe degree in sheep that have been driven a long distance to market. In the Zetland Islands, sheep are never driven more than five or six miles at a time, and that only with a view to assembling them in a crue, for the purposes already men- tioned. They are driven in the gentlest manner on such occasions, and not a single instance of blindness has ever been known to ensue from this ‘ treatment. . That the different exciting causes enumerated by these gentlemen, when applied in sufficient force, may produce inflammation of the eyes, I have little doubt; but they must be considered as being purely local and adventitious, and can mever be supposed to exert an influence beyond the scene of their immediate action. In the Zet- land Islands, they are not known to operate, and yet a general disease exists, which exhibits, in its commencement and progress, a train of symptoms similar to that which characterizes the affection which has been ascribed to their presence. These considerations lead me to conclude, that the belief in Zetland, that blindness was origi- ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. 264 . nally imported into the country, and is at present propagated by contagion, is strictly correct. ‘This opinion derives strength from different circum- stances. The period of the first appearance of the disease, is fresh within the memory of many, and the fact is related by persons of unques- tionable veracity, and accuracy of observation ; and it has been found to spread itself from the place where it first occurred, as from a centre. There are several parts of ‘Zetland into which it has never yet found admission, although separated from those in which it rages, by a narrow ferry only. ‘This fact supports the idea of a contagi- ous principle. Were the disease in general the off- spring of external causes, occasional instances would certainly be produced, although neither so frequent nor so numerous as in situations where their presence is more uniform. From a general view of the usual progress of blindness in sheep, as mentioned by different writers on the subject, I am disposed to believe, that the pathology of the different affections is not always well understood. In some cases there is genuine ophthalmia, when the inflammation ex- tends from the conjunctiva all over the lucid cornea. This is among the worst species of the affection, and it requires the most energetic treat- ment. But in those instances, where “ a blue *< slough covers the whole of the eye, without any ** admixture of red vessels,’ as mentioned by Mr 268 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. Stevenson, Lam inclined to believe, that inflamma- tion had never existed. It is not a general quali- ty of inflammation of the eye, which has proceeded the length of forming preternatural membranes, to subside spontaneously in so short a time as a fortnight, nor to be more readily removed when * the individual labouring under it is exposed to light and air, than when secluded from their in- fluence. byiubey In some of those lighter attacks, where a blue film appears to cover the cornea, I presume that the appearance is occasioned by the mere disten- tion of the cornea. *:om an increase in the quanti- ty of the aqueous humour. This will produce as perfect opacity as a membrane*. It appears to be produced in the human species, and in horses and dogs, by whatever tends to accelerate the mo- tion of the blood to the head; and analogy leads me to think that it may also be a frequent cause of temporary blindness among sheep. It 1s best removed by a change of pasture, and amapented doses of purgative medicines. The Scab was first introduced into the parish: of Dunrossness, the most southern district in the country, about twenty-four years ago, by two lambs sent from Scotland as a present to a gentle- man, with a view of improving the breed of ? U * A Treatise on the varieties and consequences of Ophthalmia, p. 173. ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. 269. sheep in Zetland. The circumstances which favoured the propagation of the disease over the country, are curious and authentic. While the two infected lambs remained in a shed, the gentle- ‘man proposed sending a sheep of the Zetland breed to a friend in Lerwick. One was according- ly taken from the hill, bound and ready to be put into a boat, when unfavourable weather coming on, the passage was delayed for several days. In the mean time, the native sheep was put into the same place with the foreign lambs, and communi- cated with them. When the weather became favourable for the departure of the boat, the sheep intended to have been sent by it, was found to — have suffered so much by confinement, that it was not thought sufficiently good, and was returned to the hill, and another taken in its stead. Soon after this, the scab, the presence of which had never been suspected, broke out on the two lambs. They were immediately killed, but the reprieved sheep had already imparted the fatal present to a whole flock ; and this disgusting disease has beet extending its ravages ever since. The destructive effects of the scab have been very obvious. Many individuals who had four or five hundred sheep a few years ago, have not now more than half a dozen; and the affection is no doubt heightened by the want of proper remedies for its removal, and the careless management of — those affected by it. As the whole sheep of the country run wild among the hills, a single indivi- 270 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. dual may affect multitudes; and the disease once induced, is aggravated by exposure to cold, damp, and scarcity of food. Shahi oves tentat seabies, ubi frigidus imber Altiis ad vivum persedit, et horrida cano Bruma gelu*. Dry pasture, and the common mercurial oint- ment of the shops, are the best remedies for its re- moval. The ointment should be rubbed on the affected parts, and be well incorporated with the skin. Inflammation of the stomach and pili is a frequent affection among the sheep in Zet- land. It is known there by the name of vinster sickness. From the suddenness of its invasion, the ambiguity of the symptoms, and the rapidity of their progress, it is generally fatal; and as the mortified part exhibits a black appearance, the people conceive it to be produced by the rupture of a blood-vessel. The slighter degrees of this disease frequently lay the foundation of obstinate dysentery. This observation * Georgic. lib. iii. ver. 441. of the poet, shews the antiquity of the disease, and aggravation of the symptoms ‘by exposure to cold and Moisture. ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. _ 271 Water sickness, or general dropsy, is also a fre- quent disease among the sheep. It occurs under the different forms of anasarca, or water in the cellular substance immediately under the skin, and ascites, or water inthe abdomen. ‘This last species of the disease takes place most commonly in wet autumns, continues during the greater part of winter, and sometimes carries off whole flocks. Tapping has been tried, but I believe, never with success, The Sturdy, or dropsy in the brain, is a very common and fatal disease. The operation of tre- panning the skull, and extracting the water-bag, which lies upon the brain, has been repeatedly and successfully performed since 1778, by indivi- duals, who never either saw or heard of a treatise on the disea‘es of sheep. A similar operation has also been successfully performed on the cow. The disease, known in Zetland by the name of © the shell sickness, consists in a thickening and concreting of the omentum and larger intestines into small white lumps resembling shells, from which it derives its name. It is common to sheep which feed on wet mossy pastures. They get lean, are disinclined to move much about, and the- belly feels unequally hard. ‘The people drive the sheep, when affected with this complaint, to the sea-side, and force them to eat sea-weed, and swallow salt water, as the only cure. These sub- stances operate as purgatives, and may, by that means, contribute to remove the complaint.’ 272 ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND, The Kot, known in Zetland by the name of mua sickness, is also one of the diseases with which the sheep are frequently affected. Various opinions have been entertained, respecting the cause and seat of this disorder. Dr Coventry, with great propriety, conceives, that the most common species of it arises from deficient and de- praved aliment, and that it somewhat resembles the scurvy in the human species*. I am_per- suaded, that this view of the subject is correct, as applied to ‘Zetland, where the causes assigned for its production so often exist, and I am inclined to believe, that the affection of the liver should be viewed rather in the light of a secondary symp- tom. The general debility induced by the com- bined effects of cold, moisture, and depraved aliment, lays the foundations of glandular ob- structions and dropsical affections. .The liver suffers with the other organs, and becomes the seat of a peculiar species of hydatid, in which an insect (fasciola hepatica}) is usually contained ; but the presence of the insect in the liver, al- though a frequent concomitant of the rot, is not absolutely essential to its existence. AC A aE OANA i EER ith Me ose a Tatroductory Discourse. . + This insect is of a flat circular form, and often three quarters of an inch in diameter. It flaps vigorously on a table, when removed from its nidus. | ON THE SHEEP OF ZETLAND. eg Removal of the diseased individuals to dry si- tuations, nutritious food, and the occasional use of mercurial purgatives, are the remedies chiefly to be trusted to; and if employed in the early stages of the disease, seldom fail to effect its cure. As the other diseases with which the Zetland | sheep are affected, present nothing peculiar, either in their progress or consequences, it is unnecessa- ry to enumerate them. [ 274 J 4 XVI. Gn the Mineralogy and local Scenery of certain Districts in the Highlands of Scotland. By Dr Macxnieut. PART I. BEN-LEDI, AND ITS ENVIRONS. (Read 13th January 1810. ) ‘Tur desire of obtaining some practical informa- tion with regard toa branch of science, which has lately excited much interest in this country, hav- - mg induced me to undertake the task of examin- ing, in a mineralogical point of view, a few of the most remarkable mountains in the Highlands of © Scotland, I am now to lay before the Society the result of my observations. In doing this, I can hardly flatter myself, that what is to be offered, will add much to the stock of knowledge in geognosy, which has already been acquired. It will only form a small contri- GCALLENDER. 278 bution towards those individual descriptions of stony masses, and their mutual relations, from the aggregate of which alone, we can hope to extract the principles of accurate science, respecting the structure of the earth.—To relieve the fatigue of continued attention to mineralogical details, no- tices of the most striking picturesque objects which occurred, will occasionally be intro< duced: I have adopted the title of this paper, because I do not venture to propose it, as even approaching toa complete account of the extensive districts over which I passed. The object in view, was to mark the geognostic features on the great scale, of the alpine country which was examined. My re- marks, accordingly, are of a general nature, and in- tended only to pave the way for more particular investigation. A minute oryctognostic detail of all the subordinate beds, veins, and individual mine- rals which may be discovered, in the leading for- mations of mountain-rock that are to be noticed, ‘will not, therefore; be expected. It would indeed have required a greater'portion of leisure, than I was able to bestow; and must be left to the pa- tience and industry of future inquirers in the same track. : The examiination of such objects is necessarily attended with considerable labour and difficulty; but at the same time; it rewards the observer's exertion, by the most striking and instructive views, There is in fact, no department in the 5 2 276 ON THE HIGHLANDS. study of nature, where the want of observation, conducted with skill, and of description given with fidelity, has been more felt; and till the sa- gacity of Werner led the way, these requisites for advancing the science can hardly be said to have existed in mineralogy. The extreme difficulty of all investigations into the nature and connection of the different substances which compose the ‘crust of the earth, must be acknowledged. Never- theless, the doctrines of the Geognosy furnish a clue, which conducts with surprising facility, through the labyrinth of the mineral regions, on the grand scale; and in the light which they af- ford to the skilful eye, the seeming confusion and _ irregularity of nature vanish.— What importance may be attached to any information which I am able to communicate, it is not for me to decide, Thus much at least, it will, however, establish, if the clearest testimony of the senses can at all be trusted, that the mode of describing the mineral kingdom, adopted by Werner and his school, is not altogether so full of theory, so unsupported by fact, and so remote from, experience, as has been alleged. CALLENDER. The first object of my examination was the dis- ° trict in the vicinity of Callender, comprehending Ben-Ledi and the adjacent hills. Callender is — CALLENDER. 297 about sixteen miles west of Stirling, and lies near the entrance of the Highlands, in this direction. At the termination of the alluvial soil, which stretches from the coal-formation, along the track of the Forth, to the foot of the mountains, the first rock that presents itself, is a peculiar species of Con- glomerate, which forms the ascent and lofty mural precipices to the north of Callender. It is dispos- ed in thin layers or beds, with an inclination of nearly 74°; dip west of north, and direction north of east, about 15°, in general. The neigh- bouring country to a considerable extent, is com- posed of this substance ; and the uniformity of its dip and direction may be distinctly observed at different places, particularly at the celebrated falls of Brackland, where the water of Kelty, forcing its way through a succession of almost yupright beds, forms an interesting and picturesque scene. This rock is composed of rounded and angular fragments of quartz, mica-slate, clay-slate, green- stone, chlorite-slate, drawing-slate, and other sub- stances, in masses of various sizes and. forms, and agglutinated in a basis of clay, which has a deep-reddish colour, from the iron it contains. We therefore infer, that it has been formed from | the debris of higher and primitive land. It de- composes in the shape of vast flags. When used . for building, it only admits of being dressed with the hammer; but its tenacity enables it to resist Jong the action of the weather. | | | 53 2498 ON THE HIGHLANDS. The conglomerate now described, is a portion’ of the great mass of the same substance, which stretches along the foot of the whole range of Highland or primitive country, from the south- west to the north-east of Scotland. It rests, I pre- sume, on Clay-slate, to which it is obviously a subsequent formation, and which it accompanies all along, in the same geognostic position; but from the thick covering of soil, where I happened to pass, I had no opportunity of observing the junction. On the other hand, the conglomerate itself appears to be covered at a lower level, with a species of limestone, possibly flcetz, the beds of which affect a eonformable direction and dip, having been discovered in different places, to the south-west and north-east, along its course. - Of these formations, I did not ascertain the re- lative extent. From what is mentioned in the Statistical Account of Callender, it is probable that each of them occupies about a mile in breadth, of the surface ground.—The beds of Sandstone which are found towards the east of this district, and which contain beds and veins of Greenstone, are probably connected with the commencement of the coal formation. It will be interesting, in a geognostic view, when more particular observation shall enable us to determine, to what class the Transition or Fleetz, in the series of formations, the Con- glomerate of Callender should be referred. Its yelative position might naturally lead us to con- » hw BEN-LEDI]. 279 sider it as a species of Grey-wacke, to which in- deed ,it has many relations, both in structure and component parts. Perhaps, however, it may be found to have still a stronger affinity with the old red sandstone, which is often, like this, coarse- granular, and also, in the same manner, sometimes rests on primitive rocks *. BEN-LED1. The next and most striking object of examina- tion in this district, is Ben-Ledi ; the first remark- able mountain which presents itself, at this en-. trance into the Highlands. Ben-Ledi stands to the west of Callender, from which, the distance | to its summit, is about six miles. The height from the level of the sea, is reckoned to be nearly 3000 feet ; springing suddenly from the flat, country, and consequently with a greater elevation from the base, than the generality of the High- land mountains. * T have since been informed by Colonel Imrie, that he had traced the Conglomerate of Callender, to its junc- tion, and found that it actually rests on the Old Red — _ Sandstone, which he has, in various places of its course to the north-east, seen interposed between the Conglemaie and the Clay-slate. Ss 4 236 ON THE HIGHLANDS. In ascending by the eastern shoulder, ‘there is _ little opportunity of mineralogical observation, as the gronnd is almost wholly covered with pasture, — to the very top. ‘The mind, however, 1s sufficiently interested by the distant view; which’ grows in- beauty with every step of the ascent, till at bursts on the eye with great magnificence, at the sum- mit: comprehending a vast extent of the low country to the east and south, with the windings of the Forth, and the greater number of the con- spicuous objects in the Highlands of Scotland, which seem to arrange themselves in the form of a mighty amphitheatre, towards the west and north.— At such an elevation, and with the advan- tage of fine weather, the effect on the mind is pe- culiarly delightful, and it is impossible abana feel the most elevating impressions. Ben-Ledi, viewed from the level inaiia on the east, appears to have a double top, of which the nearest, or southern, is the highest. Here, the the rock is distinctly found to be Mica-slate, of the newer kind, with small scales of mica, and. “approaching to Clay-slate ; but so much weather- ed, that it is difficult to procure a tolerable speci- men. Further to the west, the rock has a greater proportion of quartz, and the scales of mica more distinct ; consequently it appears to be of an older formation. On the other hand, towards the north- east, the. oldest Clay- slate begins to shew itself, containing a quantity of iron-ochre from pyrites. -—Under the second top, which lies in the direc- - BEN-LEDI. | 281 tion of north-west from the first, mica-slate with brown spar, occurs. | Descending from this, directly towards the south end of Loch Lubnaig, we find the moun- tain assuming a more precipitous aspect, especial- ly under the highest summit; and a remarkable feature in the form affected by a great proportion of the Highland hills, such as Cruachan and Ben-Nevis, for the first time presents itself; the appearance of a solid or re-entering angle, which opens towards the north-east, and in which the surface is sometimes smooth, but oftener rocky, or _ broken into cliffs—By viewing the mountain from the upper part of the vast ravine now men- tioned, it becomes evident, that the great central mass of Ben-Ledi, forms a part of the boundary of the mica-slate country on the south-east, and is a portion of the strata, which running from south- west to north-east, are known to compose the whole range of the Highlands in that direction. | . These strata are almost vertical; and, in the great bosom or hollow of which we are speaking, exhibit, by decomposition, a strikingly grand and picturesque appearance, which, with the help of | imagination, is easily figured into that of the ruins of spires and Gothic cathedrals. The singularly peaked or serrated shape, which the crops of the strata here affect, 1s occasioned by the waste of the rock, in some places across, and in others” along, its line of direction ; in which, the alternate or intermediate layers, decomposing, leave the re- as Se rey sare cod = Oe See ge 232 ON THE HIGHLANDS. semblance of deep furrows on the huge fragments, which appear to be separated from the body of the rock, What adds te the effect of the whole, — the acclivity of the mountain, on this side, is covered with masses of enormous size, which have tumbled down from the face of the precipice, and lie scattered in the wildest confusion. ‘Towards the lower part of the acclivity, in this direction, a small stream takes its rise, the bed of which shews the rock much traversed and inter- sected by veins of quartz and felspar. Here also, - some of the strata assume a kind of porphyritic appearance, by the crystals of quartz and felspar, which they contain. Following the descent of this stream, we observe beds of Clay-slate begin- ning to alternate with the Mica-slate. At length the Clay-slate appears, composing a complete for- mation, conformable to the strata of the moun- tain. Of this formation, particular.portions, from accidental causes, such as the failure of their. support on the lower side, and the shape of the subjacent rock, vary somewhat in their dip and inclination. The whole base of Ben- Ledi, towards the east, 1s composed of Clay-slate, through which, at this place, the rivulet above- mentioned, works its way, in a succession of the noblest and most beautiful cascades, rushing, as it were, from terrace to terrace, and indenting the — rock so deeply, as almost to hide themselves from view. Some of these are much loftier and more BEN-LEDI. 283° splendid, than the falls of Brackland, already no- ticed.. | Along the channel of the same stream, frag- ments of micaceous rocks are to be found with shining particles of quartz, and an intermix- ture of hornblende. ‘Some specimens contain a substance, which resembles sparry iron-stone ; but on such an occurrence of that mineral, we cannot yet pronounce with certainty. In other specimens which have a brecciated appear- ance, and which form the connecting link between the common and porphyritic mica-slate, particles _ are found of a deep-coloured copper-pyrites, the same in kind with what was formerly confounded with gold by the early observers. There is also a fragment, which I picked up here, though not in sitg, and of which, from its geognostic position, the original mass appears to have been a bed in clay-slate. It is pure granular hornblende, with a small portion of quartz, and a little mica and iron pyrites. In different places of this formation, veins of lead-ore have been discovered. One of these which I examined, lies about a mile to the south of the rivulet above mentioned, at an elevation of more than 1000 feet above the foot of the mountain. Here the direction of the clay-slate is nearly east and west, inclination 50° south. The vein is said to have yielded at the rate of 20s. value of silver, for every cwt. of ore, but was found too small for the expence of working. The lead-glance is ac- 284 ON THE HIGHLANBS. companied by quartz, which so. often occurs throughout the whole of this formation; and the vein, so far as it is visible, 1s from one to five inches wide.—Below the mine, the clay-slate in- cludes iron pyrites ; and there is a vein of felspar- porphyry, which traverses the slate, in a direction about 27° north of east : veins of quartz also, with with copper pyrites, occur. : f It is through this formation of slate, that the River Teath, in forcing its passage from Loch Lubnaig, along the foot of the mountain, has formed the celebrated Pass of Leny, the only ac-. cess to the Highlands of Scotland, in this quarter. The scenery here, is well known to be uncommon- ly striking ; and what is remarkable, the action of the water, in scooping out the bed of the river, has at the upper part of the Pass, worn down the mass of the clay-slate, till the strata of mica-slate on which it rested, are laid bare. At a small distance above the water, the clay-slate is found on both sides. The mica-slate in this place, is porphyritic, and so extremely hard, that a neigh- bouring proprietor, wishing to deepen the bed of the river, for the purpose of gaining ground at the upper extremity of Loch Lubnaig, was obliged, after much labour and expence in blowing the rock, to abandon the operation as impracticable. On this part of the subject, it 1s only necessary to remark further, that the clay-slate formation, considered as composing the base and neighbour- hood of Ben-Ledi, extends in a conformable posi- ‘BEN-LEDI. i Was tion, that is, resting on the mica-slate, from the heights above Loch Lubnaig, through the whole rising grounds towards Loch Vennachar on. the south, a distance of more than ten miles. In all this tract, the usual features of a clay-slate country, . as smooth and declining, may be observed. We also find, that the outermost part of the formation assumes a kind of deep violet or reddish colour, one of the characters of the newest kind. And thus the structure of this mountain, so far as it has fbeen ascertained, completely justifies one branch of the general doctrine of the Geognosy. LOCH-KATTERIN. Continuing to stretch in the usual direction of south-west, the different strata, which compose Ben-Ledi, form at length the rude and splendid scenery of Loch Katterin, {so justly admired, and so often ;visited. The whole of this remarkable district, including Benian on the north, and Ben Venue on the south, objects ef singular beauty and grandeur, consist therefore of rocks belong-. ing to the species of mica and clay slate, which present various degrees of induration or compact- ness, and are much traversed with veins of quartz. Along the side of Loch Vennachar, the clay-slate is repeatedly seen cropping out, and particular portions are quarried for use. Its dip here is towards the south, or opposite to the declivity of the hills, of which it forms the base. This is pro- 236 ON THE HIGHLANDS. ‘bably the remnant of a saddle-shaped strati- fication, of which the portion to the south- east has been worn away. | The singularly rugged and picturesque spgtteith to Loch Katterin, in the course of which the clay-slate which first presents itself, is found gra- dually passing into mica-slate, has been consider- ed as the effect of some extraordinary convulsion of nature, by which the neighbouring rocks have been wiokes in pieces, and their huge frag- ments scattered or piled on each other, in a state of terrific irregularity. In some places, blocks which seem to have been struck off by lightning, raay be observed ; but in general, a little attention satisfies the eye, that the appearances are nothing else than the natural decay, and wearing down in numberless forms, of the strata preserving their original position. This romantic scene, by the wildness and gran- deur which it exhibits, is not only delightful to the eye of taste, but peculiarly instructive to the curious geognost, and suggests many interesting ideas with regard to the mode in which the phe- ‘nomena it presents to view, may be conceived to have taken place. From the spot where the tra- -yeller first reaches Loch-Katterin, the face of the rock on the right-hand, in advancing along the road which has been made to shew the beauties of the scenery, may be considered as a sort of geological lesson to the amateurs of mineralogy. It presents in general, an almost upright front LOCH-KATTERIN, 209 penetrated with innumerable veins of quartz, which are sometimes straight, oftener undulating, and indeed infinitely diversified in their shapes and appearances. These veins, in most instances, are seen entire, that is, completely included or terminated in the mass of the rock ; and lead ir- resistibly to the idea of cotemporaneous veins, forming an apposite illustration of what has been described and figured by Professor Jameson, in his paperonthat subject, formerly read to this Society *. The rock to which I now refer, is fine slaty, bordering on clay-slate. We then observe, as we proceed, a species of mica-slate, in which the quartz predominates to such a degree as renders it peculiarly tenacious and indestructible. It has a brecciated aspect, and contains small crystals or particles of a matter belonging to to the calcare- ous tribe, which, when of a brownish colour (pro- bably rhomb-spar) seems to have been mistaken for felspar.. From the appearance which this lat- ter substance gives it, the rock has usually been considered as granite, by the people of the neigh- bourhood ; but that mineral, so far as my obser- vation extends, does not occur in the vicinity of Loch-Katterin.—In other beds, the slaty struc- ture is very minute, and the rock is intimately mixed with hornblende of a greyish-green colour, which gives it a distant resemblance to horn- blende-slate. We also find beds in which the ¥* Anted, p. 1, Ke. a 238 ON THE HIGHLANDS. calcareous matter and pyrites. decomposing, fo form specks of reddish-brown. It is remarkable, that mica-slate, of neta the same external characters with the indestructible species just described, is found on the north-east side of Ben-Ledi, in a line of direction correspond- ing to the usual bearing of the strata; from which it is probable, that the same rock runs for a dis- tance of many miles, through Glenfinlas, and the central parts of Ben-Ledi, forming in its course, a variety of serrated and lofty peaks, particularly, I suppose, the inaccessible heights of Benian and its attendants, which to the north-east, crown the striking and picturesque beauties of the Tro- sachs, 4 Having finished the account of what I ob- served in this part of my excursion, I shall now mention a few geological inferences, which ap- pear to follow from the principal facts that have been stated. : _ J. It may reckoned extraordinary, in what way the beds of conglomerate, first described, have assumed their present upright position. ‘The uni- formity, however, of their general direction and inclination, in following the regular course of the GEOLOGICAL REMARKS, - 289 primitive strata on which they rest, and of which we shall afterwards speak, renders it impossible to admit the hypothesis of their having been dis- placed by any irregular or violent agency ; and, along with the obvious phenomena of their struc- ture, leads us irresistibly to the conclusion, that they were originally formed as we now see them. Nor will this position appear unnatural, if we re- flect on the manner in which the debris of wast- ing rocks must necessarily arrange itself, in fall- ing down the sides of mountains. For example, let any one look at the face of the steep under Salisbury Craig, and he will easily satisfy himself, how, supposing the presence of a consolidating power, amass of conglomerate might be gradually form. ed by a succession of layers from the waste of the rock, with a very considerable inclination, In fact, the acclivity on which the fragments are now accumulated, has in general, an inclination of more than 50°. The same materials under water, by which the action of gravity is dimi- nished, might assume a position still more nearly approaching to vertical; and such is the manner in which we account for the general inclination — of the conglomerate at Callender. We remark at the same time, that particular beds, in the process of waste, losing their sup- port on the lower side, may at length, by the ac- tion of “the weather, or the force of torrents, have come to stand still more erect, as at the falls of Brackland. Taking the subject in this view, r 290 _ ON THE HIGHLANDS. M. Saussure might perhaps have conceived it pos- sible for the famous puddingstone of Valorsine, to have assumed its actual posture, without an ex- traordinary convulsion of nature ; and his wonder at what he considered as so civil a peeaee- non, might have somewhat abated. If we extend the idea which is siapretinied by the obvious origin of the conglomerate, it will appear, that the structure of every rock, which exhibits the characters of a sandstone, that is, contains fragments or particles of another and . higher rock, affords a demonstrative argument in favour of the Geognosy. It has indeed been que» stioned, whether such formations of stony sub- stances could ever have taken place in water. But from the wonderful discoveries which have lately distinguished the progress of electro-che- mical science, and, which have brought within the circle of our knowledge, a new world of energies and changes among the elements of nature, there is reason to believe, that all the objections hitherto urged agamnst the theory of aqueous consolida- tion, as a fact in the mineral kingdom, will at length be completely removed. II. It is a fact which confirms another part of the Geognosy, that as far.as I was able to observe, the mica-slate, which in this quarter of the High- lands, is generally undulated, contains no gar- nets.—-The waved structure, which here exhibits. ' an endless variety of forms and appearances in GEOLOGICAL REMARKS. 298 the slaty rocks of the primitive class, must have taken place, not by the application of an external force subsequent to the process of aggregation in the component particles of the stone, but during that process; and must have been determined by the laws of crystallization, chemical affinity, and galvanic influence, as well as by the mechanical power of gravity. This inference naturally pre- sents itself to the geologist, on examining the as- pect of the rocks which form Ben-Ledi, and the environs of Loch-Katterin. In looking at the slaty texture edgewise, the slightest inspection satisfies the mind, that the incurvations could not have been produced but by the same cause, what- ever it was, which acted in the original forma- tion of the stone. Besides, it is evident, that the structure is the same, at the greatest distance from any mass of a different substance which might be imagined to have acted on the rock by heat or pressure, as in its wicimity; and the known laws, by which the propagation of pressure or force among the particles of soft or non-elastic bodies is regulated, render it impossible that_un- dulation on so small a scale could have proceeded from the operation of any agent not at hand. The masses of quartz (which often appear as if closely wrapped round by the substance of the slate, like what might have taken place, had the slaty matter formed around them as a sort of nu- clei, by the accretion of successive layers) are, 2 f ‘@o2 ON THE HIGHLANDS. like the veins, of cotemporaneous formation with the rock itself. vig III. Ben-Ledi, it appears, is not a. mountain, which exhibits on geognostic principles, the _ whole of the primitive formations in the order of succession. But it suggests the general infe- rence which is founded on a view of the. High- lands, from the heights of Braemar on the north- east to the mountains of Dunbartonshire on the south-west. The whole range of alpine country, now mentioned, is composed, as frequently no- ticed, of parallel strata, running uniformly in that direction; and these strata broken down, and hollowed out in various ways, form the elevations and acclivities of the particular mountains, _ Now this fact, which will be further illustra- ted in future communications, which I shall have the honour of submitting to the Society, seems decisive against the theory of such elevations be- ing produced by a violent power acting from be- ‘low ; as the regular bearings of the strata are in- - compatible with the supposition of their actual position having been determined by the opera- tion of any irregular or explosive agent. The _ truth is, that the fact we are considering, is only — another and striking instance in addition to those - which have been observed by Humboldt, Von . Buch, and others, in confirmation of the doctrine respecting the general bearings of the. primnigie strata, in the crust of the earth. GEOLOGICAL REMARKS. 293 Such an er of direction on the great scale, it would seem, could have resulted only from the action of powers in nature, which are quiet and regular in their operation ; and must be referred to some original law, which later dis- coveries render it probable, will be found to de- pend on the constitution of the terraqueous globe with regard to magnetism and electricity. In this interesting point of view, the observation con- cerning the strata of the Highland mountains, was first made by my friend Professor Jameson, to whom the study of mineralogy i in this country is so much indebted. IV. One remark more will not, I hope, be un- acceptable in this Society. It relates to the sa- tisfaction in surveying a country , afforded by the principles of the Geognosy. | uitiparett indeed, with every other mode hitherto proposed of view- ing the mineral mass of the earth, the superiority of Werner’s system can hardly, I think, be appre- tated in its fall value. a PART II. FROM THE PASS OF LENY TO BALAHELISH. ( Read 34 February 1810.) I am now to resume the account of my observa- tions on the Highland districts, which I have had an opportunity of examining. From the Pass of Leny to Arthudilly on the banks of Loch-Lubnaig, the general rock that meets the eye, is clay-slate, with its usual varieties of character ; being the continuation to the north- east of the same uecaasiets which has been de- scribed at the foot of Ben-Ledi. The road winds - beautifully along the margin of the Loch; and - in different places of the rising ground on the right hand, slate-quarries appear to have been opened. A little beyond Arthudilly, the oldest clay-slate passes into dark-greenish grey mica-slate ; of which the first appearances on the side of the road are interesting, when closely examined. It is undulated and distorted in every conceivable form. _ Here beds of a somewhat peculiar variety occur ; in which there is a mixture of hornblende and — mica passing into chlorite, and canting iron- BEN-VORLICH. 295 pyrites, as an occasionally imbedded fossil. Strata whose characters correspond with those of the rock at the summit of Ben-Ledi, also are found. After entering the mica-slate country at the place now mentioned, nothing remarkable appears immediately along the road, before we arrive at Loch-Earn-head. On the north of the water, a- bout a mile from the inn, foliated granular lime- stone of a bluish-grey colour occurs, disposed in ‘thin strata or layers, and much penetrated with veins of quartz and calespar. The mica-slate in which it is imbedded, seems ,to border on clay- slate; but is weathered to such a degree, that I was unable to finda proper specimen, from which I could with certainty give its description. | ray BEN-VORLICH AND STUIC-A-CHROIN, | —on the south side of Loch-Earn, are mountains of a similar construction with Ben-Ledi, formerly described ; lying to the north-east of it, in the common direction of the great strata, and conse- quently presenting, as might be expected, the usual succession of primitive rocks. From the house of Ard-Vorlich on the edge of the water, the ascent is regular and not difficult, till about a mile and a half from the summit of Ben-Vorlich ; where the rock begins to be more uncovered and precipitous, and the geognosy of the mountain may be morevdistinctly ascertained. .Mica-slate oe 296 ON THE HIGHLANDS. and clay-slate are found alternating, and eoritalnk | ing beds of felspar- porphyry, greenstone, and lime- stone. In the structure ofthe rock at the summit, quartz predominates to a great degree ; and some varieties have brown specks, which are owing probably to iron-pyrites decomposing. | _ ‘The conical shape of Ben-Vorlich, viewed from certain positions to the south- east or north-west, is uncommonly regular. On the south-west, or laterally, it resembles somewhat a semi-ellipse, of which the greater axis is the base. Its ro estimated to be 3300 feet. In the intermediate ridge betwixt Ben.Vorlich and Stuic- -a-chroin, the rocks afford a curious field of examination. Masses of clay-slate are observed in situations where it seems to have once existed in greater quantity. There are also small beds and veins of | quartz tinged with chlorite ; and the mica- slate exhibits considerable variety of characters in different strata. In some in- stances it is compact, and 3 in others it is coloured with the matter, sometimes of hornblende, some- times of chlorite. One striking variety is thick slaty and porphyritic, passing into gneiss. Its crystals of felspar and quartz, by which it is dis- tinguished from the common species in its neigh- bourhood, are at first extremely minute, but be- — come at length very distinct. Of this kind, many specimens have a strong relation to one of the. rocks at the side of Loch- Katterin. — Towards the summit of Stuic-a- chroin, (which appears from : GLEN-DOCHART. 297 the low country, as a long serrated ridge, to the west of Ben-Vorlich and nearly as high,) the porphyritic mica-slate assumes a deep reddish tinge from the oxidation of the iron it contains. } J Beyond the district of Loch-Earn-head, we travel still through mica-slate, in which we ob- serve considerable variety, both of structure and of ingredients. Its colour in general, is greenish- grey, and its lustre shining, or even sometimes approaching to splendent. In the course of a few miles, the valley of Glen- Dochart opens to view. At this place, in compa- ring the high level we have now reached, with that of the hollows left behind, we are naturally led to remark, that the whole ascent from Callender to Killin, illustrates beautifully the doctrine of the — water, in the progress of its gradual diminution, descending from higher to lower valleys, through the mountain hollows, which it has formed. The first example is the course of the Teath. ‘This is traced to the vale of Balquhidder, of which, the waters, at the eastern point of the oval bason that incloses them, bending southward, fall into the mountain-hollow, or ravine, which forms Loch- Yubnaig. There they had evidently, at a former | period, been pent up; but at length, forcing their f 298 ON THE HIGHLANDS. way at the southern extremity, they, descend . ruptly through the Pass of Leny, and discharge themselves into the alluvial country, at Callender : having occupied in their progress, three great dis- tinct stages or levels. Higher still, Loch-Earn furnishes the next example. Its waters rushing through the long range of hills to the east, flow more quietly along the valley of Strath-Earn, till at the opposite extremity, they find their passage into the yet lower level of the sea. In the tract of the Tay, which is the remaining instance I proposed to mention, a similar succession of de- scending stages may be observed. From Strathfil- lan, the highest inhabited valley in Scotland, the water has worked itself by the foot of Ben-More, into Glen-Dochart. Hence it descends into the magnificent alpine hollow of Loch-Tay ; and after suffering this interruption of its stream, runs with a considerable inclination, till it reaches the lower part of the great strath, where it meets the Tum- mel, and takes its leave of the Highland levels, at the vast opening into the low country, which it has made for itself, through the mass of the moun- tains, a few miles below Dunkeld. It is also worthy of observation, that the direc- tion and dip of the primitive strata are sometimes found to vary a little, as we advance from the Pass _ of Leny, into the interior of the Highlands. This however, is only an effect of local circumstances. The general line of inclination and direction> re- mains uniform; but, in particular places, there i is BEN-MORE. 299 a change of position ‘occasioned by the partial . wasting of the rocks, or by some irregularity i in the original ‘ground, on which the strata have been deposited. sy. BEN-MORE. The hills which accompany the course of the Dochart, have a noble and striking appearance. But amongst the objects which crowd on the eye of the mineralogist, the attention is instantly ar- rested by the vast and lofty Ben-more; which far overtops the whole of its neighbours, and presents indeed, an extraordinary aspect of magnificence. Ben-More, which signifies the great hill, con- sists properly of two parts, a greater and a smaller, both of which are of an irregular pyramidal form. The two summits, which are nearly of equal height, can hardly be estimated at much less than 4000 feet from the level ofthe sea; and the lowest point of the hollow betwixt them, seems to be more than 1roco fect beneath the summit. These mountains are composed of Mica-slate in different varieties, having the direction and incli- nation so often noticed. From some appearances _ of an inaccessible reck, I was led to’suppose it a nucleus of gneiss, passing directly through the centre of the smaller mountain, and intermediate hollow, into the mass of the great Ben-more, which lies in the direction of north-east... Ac- / 300 ON THE HIGHLANDS. cordingly, Ben-more confirms the observation for- merly made respecting thestructure of the Highland mountains. The mica-slate is nearly conformable to the supposed gneiss, and every where intimate- ly penetrated with veins of quartz, which exhibit an endless variety of form and appearance. Its specific peculiarities will be afterwards noticed as we proceed. On the shoulder, to the south-east of the lesser mountain, called by the natives, Binean, I hadanop- portunity of observing the different states of motion and rest, which are known to co-exist, in different strata or elevations of the atmosphere! About a mile from the top, the wind was so strong, that the guide assured me, it was impossible to go up, or to withstand the still greater force of the tem- pest, which he thought we should have to en-— counter at the summit. Suspecting, however, that this violence was only local, I resolved to proceed alone; and ina few minutes I felt myself above its reach. The ascent is along a narrow ridge, which near the top becomes extremely steep on both sides. At the summit, there was hardly a breath of air, so that I could quietly collect speci- mens. In descending again to the level of the breeze, I observed that its strength was much in- creased by its compression, in rushing through a deep valley, which lies to the westward of the mountain. The guide, J found, had taken shel- ter under the lee of one of the rocks, where the remained in great anxiety, till venturing BEN-MGRE.. 301 -at length to leave his retreat, when I had gained the summit, he stood, expecting every moment.to see me blown over the precipice. ‘The surprise he expressed, that no accident had happened, was still greater, on hearing that the air at the ip had been perfectly calm. : From the appearance of. a ridge on the summit of Binean, viewed at a distance, in’ particular po- sitions, I expected to have found it caped with greenstone or porphyry. Nothing, however, dis- covered itself to the stroke of the hammer, but shining or splendent mica-slate; which, at the top is fine slaty, and consists almost wholly of pure silvery mica. At some distance beneath, by a due mixture of quartz, it exhibits one of the most perfect-and beautiful species of this rock. The great Ben-More, which resembles a vast irregular pyramid, standing obliquely on its base, presents its most abrupt and precipitous front to the south-west. On this side, its upper regions, naked and bare, refuse accommodation to every inhabitant, except the eagle; and in ascending _from the mountain-valley which divides it from Binean, the fatigue of clambering over its steep and broken rocks, which exhibit no variety, was relieved by little that could interest the mind, but the solitary flight of the ptarmigan and his mate, whose greyish hues at this season, (August) finely harmonized with the colours of the decom- posing stones. | —_ 302 ON THE HIGHEANDS. We réached the summit in the afternoon. And here, it is not éasy to imagine a view more truly striking than what we’ beheld, like a scene of en- chantment, which the few last steps of our as- cent had spread instantaneously before the eye. The wind had now died away into a gentle breeze; the sky was clear; and the weather de- lightful. In this state of the atmosphere, the first objects that arrested the attention, were the colours around the setting sun. As they appeared in na- ture from such a height, these colours were so vi- vid, that any attempt to convey an idea of their beauty, by the most brilliant pencil or animated description, without the aid of actual sensation, would be hopeless. ‘They had in truth, the rich- ness and blaze of an Italian sky; and the rays of the evening sun, thus refracted into all the variety of iridescent hues, dashing horizontally, with the finest effects of ‘light and shade, amongst the innumerable conical summits which stand to the west, threw over the landscape an exquisite fi- nish of glow and splendour. The whole range embraced by'the eye at the top of Ben-More, renders the prospect undoubt- edly one of the most commanding and magnifi- cent in Scotland, perhaps in Britain ; hardly infe- rior, in point of beauty, to those of Ben-Lomond, -and'Ben-Ledi, and in extent, yielding only to that of Ben-Nevis. It reaches from the upper part of Inverness-shire, on the north, to Arran and Ireland, which may be faintly descried on the BEN-MORE. 303 south ; and from Mull on the west, to Lammer- muir on the south-east. There is, indeed, no. point of equal elevation placed so nearly in the centre of Scotland. -Remote from the lowlands, and from the arms of the sea, by which our coasts are so finely indented, the scene it presents is without the usual appendages of perfect landscape. But what it wants in beauty, is compensated by grandeur; and the absence of the river, the woodland, and the fertile plain, is forgotten, a- midst the impressions arising from the vast ex- panse, in every direction, of alpine country, where the prominent features of ruggedness and sterility are relieved only at intervals, by the verdure of the cultivated glens, with their winding-streams, 7 diminished by distance to the size of shining threads. | In particular, the course of the Dochart which sweeps the base of Ben-More, and of which, from this elevation,. more than twenty miles may be © comprised ina single glance, presents a remark- able coup d’oeti. ‘To complete the effect in this style of the picturesque, the immense sheets of water in Loch-Lubnaig, Loch-Earn, and Loch-Tay, gradually opening and retiring from sight, among the deep and bending hollows of the mountains, form an embellishment of the whole view, more easily conceived than describ- ed: bats . Among the group of mountains which encircles the spectator in this panorama of the Highlands, 304 ON THE HIGHLANDS. by far the most striking and beautiful object. is -Cruachan, lying to the north-west ; which. springs aloft with singular elegance of imeiieie from the mass of hills in its vicinity, and which now seem- ed to project from the brilliant ground of the western sky, like a figure embossed on burnished gold. Few appearances in that kind of alpine landscape, could have a more spirited or charming effect. With such an expanse of the great and de- lightful beneath the eye, contemplations of a higher kind could hardly fail to arise in the mind. If the ruins of temples, and the deserted scenes of antient magnificence, patriotism, or learning, have - awakened the most interesting recollections, it can- not be unsuitable to the feelings of man, that the sight of impressively magnificent natural objects should lead him to reflect, with the sublimest sentiments of veneration, on the power and wis- dom which gave them existence, and which pre- sides over all the stupendous operations of na- ture. | From the summit of Ben-More, a very interest- ing and important geognostic fact. may be ob- served. It is, that the leading ridges of the indi- vidual mountains throughout the whole of the vast range which stretches before the eye, on all sides, are always conformable to the direction of | the strata which compose them. ‘That is to say, the different ridges run from south-west to north-east, shewing, that the relative elevations \ of thése mountains are occasioned by particular strata having been more indestructible than others” near them; which, accordingly, in giving way, and gradually wasting, have formed the interme- diate valleys and water courses. An attentive _ eye may even trace the same grand strata, passing from one mountain to another, and not greatly lowered in the hollows which divide the moun- tains; for the hollows or valleys, parailel to the strata, are in general the deepest, and not those by which the strata are crossed. This fact appears to furnish a strong argument against the theory of such mountains having been elevated individually by the power of fire. The great mass of alpine substances had been already formed by nature, in different grand ranges ; and the shaping of the particular mountains, as well as of the smaller mountain-ranges, seems to have been the subse- quent effect of decomposition and waste, while the waters of the globe were diminishing in level *. >? re ceca * Humboldt conceives, that the direction and acclivity of mountains and mountain-ranges, are phenomena poste- rior to the existence of the grand strata, which compose the crust of the earth, and out of which he considers these inequalities on the surface, as having been formed. See his opinion on this subject, quoted in page 116. of the ex- cellent translation, by my friend Dr C. Anderson, ef Voi Buch’s Description of the Environs of Landeck. U 306 - ON THE wiieng It may also be noticed, that the remark for- merly made on Ben-Ledi, with regard to the form of the mountains as presenting their hollows or bosoms to the north-east, was found to be still more strikingly applicable, in the case of those observed from Ben-More. Surrounded by objects on which the mind in dwell long with unabating delight, and which fix the spectator by a sort of spell, some time elapsed before I was able to withdraw the eye from what I contemplated as so admirable, in order to em- ploy it in the humbler office of surveying the rock on which we stood at this interesting eleva- tion. It is mica-slate, with distinct layers of pure mica, and of quartz; and approaches so “nearly in appearance to the rock found at the other summit, that we cannot avoid the supposi- tion of its being the same rock continued, and of the two mountains having originally formed but one. ; At length, reluctantly quitting the scene of the splendid view I have endeavoured to describe, | began to descend with many a lingering look be- hind. Under the summit, along the ridge to the north-east, the rock, which becomes thick slaty, contains for some time, a greater proportion of its quartz ingredients ; but lower down, it displays again the lustre and purity of the higher strata. At this station, veins appear filled with quartz, and containing also, mica, chlorite, and a valuable variety of iron- glance, erystallized in thin tables. BEN-MORE. | 307 The apparent quantity of this ore, would hardly encourage an attempt to work it. Many of the strata on the same ridge, in decomposing, split in lines that cross the real course of the rock, almost at right angles; a circumstance which is apt to mislead the hasty observer, in-estimating the dip and inclination. Towards the base, greyish- black hornblende-rock, slightly porphyritic, is found; and beds of beautiful dark-green horn- blende-slate, with a shining lustre, and of red fel- spar-porphyry, having crystals of felspar, quartz, and mica, present themselves in the situation assigned them by the geognosy. TYNDRUM AND KING 'S-HOUSE. Leaving Ben-More, we come to Strathfillan, of which the mineralogy may be soon dispatched, as itis every where covered with soil and culture, and offers little to the notice of the scientific travel- ler, (except a bed of bluish-grey limestone, which is granular-foliated, and of great thickness, not far from Crian-Larich), till we arrive at Tyndrum, where the Clifton lead-mine is not unworthy of attention. Many years have elapsed since it was first opened. The concern succeeded for some time, but at last failed. A few years ago it was re- sumed, and again abandoned; probably more from the want of capital, than of productiveness ua 308 ON THE HIGHLANDS. in the ore, which seems in general tolerably rich. ats | The lead-glance is in lamellar distinct concre- tions; ‘sometimes specular; sometimes small granular; and often crystallized in cubes, more or less truncated on the edges and angles. It is associated with quartz, felspar, copper-pyrites, lamellar heavy-spar, brown-blende, .and calc- spar. In some specimens, the quartz appears in six-sided crystals, and in prismatic distinct concre- tions, which is a somewhat rate occurrence. _ There is also calc-spar in pyramidal distinct con- cretions.—The mica-slate, in the neighbourhood of the vein, exhibits an unusual predominance of quartz; and the sides of the vein consist of quartz with a greenish colour, which is probably owing to a tinge of hornblende or chlorite *. The mode of occurrence now described, appears I think, to differ somewhat from any hitherto mentioned by Werner, as belonging to this class of primitive rocks +. At Tyndrum, I found a rolled mass of dark coloured hornblende-slate, containing crystals of quartz and felspar, and indicating the existence of a particular bed somewhere near. den _tsillustrated by a reference, on the grand geognos- tie scale, to the nature of the adjoining country, © BEN-NEVIS. 327 for many miles on the east. and south. The pro- bability has already been noticed, (p. 313.) that the range of mountains which extends from Glencoe to Ben-Neyis, consists of an overlying formation, principally of felspar, under a great variety of forms and appearances. This, however, is stated merely in the way of conjecture.-——I now pro- ceed to describe more particularly the \ a CHARACTERS 6 sen di Gerent rocks sbiichas compose Ben-Nevis, as they were observed in the course of prose- euting the investigation along the Base, the Accli- vity, the Summit, and the Precipice. In different parts of this extraordinary alpine tract, the vari- ous objects which meet the eye, in a picturesque point of view, are too striking to be passed over without remark, as we proceed. | Besides the information to be derived from sur- veying the more prominent masses, which present themselves around the mountain, I have noticed the facilities of examination that are afforded by the water-courses in every direction. In particu- lar, the base and acclivity may be examined with advantage along the course of five streams, which divide the circumference into the same number of — unequal portions, and some of which conduct at length to the dark-coloured rock that forms the summit. ‘These are 1. The Stone-burn, which takes its rise under the precipice to the east, and holds its course nearly northward; 2. The Mill- x4 528: ON THE HIGHLANDS. burn, which issues from the small lake, at the foot of the acclivity, and runs for some distance, almost parallel to the former ; and: 3. The Clag? gan-burn, along which is the first part of the com- mon ascent from the west. The 4th stream, to which I allude, is that which directs the course of the traveller, in ascending the acclivity from the small lake just mentioned. It takes its rise front the last spring which we meet with before reach- ing the summit; and after an unusually precipi- tous and abrupt course to the south-west, falls into the river, at @ short distance from the house of Glen-Nevis. The 5th stream begins immediately under the junction of the great ridge which backs the mountain on the south. Its head lies about 2 mile westward from that of the Stone:burn first described ; and being on the opposite declivity of the ridge, the conrse of the stream is south- ward. This rivulet, which, if possible, is still - more direct and precipitous in its course, than the fourth stream, falls: into the Nevis.a few miles above the house. | _Of these rivulets, the Claggan-burn is commonly the first which occurs to observation. At. the place where it reaches the. level country, mica- slate is found, but hardly ascends to any height. The overlying formation soon appears, as we be~ gin to Paoupithey, .ic,paigan ims) 20 : Ba SED In this formation, the general substance of the rock is a granular aggregate of felspar, horn- BEN-NEVIS, : 329 blende and mica, in various proportions, more or less approaching the description of true sienite. It has at first a greyish aspect; but soon ac- quires, towards the upper part of the base, a reddish hue, not only from a change im the co- lour of the felspar, but from its proportion be- coming greater, and assuming at the same time, the form of large distinct crystals, which give it a porphyritic character: forming a rock of an unusually fine and beautiful appearance, and more than probably of the same kind with that which was antiently used in Egypt for the pillars and obelisks so famous in history. In the Claggan-burn, there is a vein of granu-_ lar substance, containing chiefly felspar, with a slight’ intermixture of hornblende, mica, and quartz. This vein may be traced for a long way up, in the channel of the stream, and seems to have been filled from the higher — of the same formation. ACCLIVITY. After passing the small lake, we edge upwards along the face of the acclivity to the left, till we reach a place (beside the 4th stream) which may be estimated at about two thirds of the distance to the top, and where the guide is accustomed to make the travellers whom he attends, rest and refresh themselves *, before they encounter the steepest / * The inn at Fort William is at present in excellent or- der, and kept bya Lady, whose care and attention render _w« 33° ON THE HIGHLANDS. and most difficult part of the ascent... At this vation, we have ascended beyond the level of the neighbouring heights, and. the splendid prospect which Ben-Nevis commands, begins to unfold its majestic features. The fine sweeps of Loch-Eil, and Loch-Linnhe to the west and south- west, and the greater part of the western isles from ee to ‘Sky, with the mountains of Mull, Rum, and Can- “na, the Cullin Hills vanishing in mist, and the arms of the ocean indenting the shores in a great _ variety of beautiful forms, are here expanded with singular magnificence, like a vast map PaPRs the eye. : : Itis also at this spot that the extemal, hans ter of the formation we are inyestigating, appears to undergo a remarkable change. On the oppo- site, or south side of the rivulet, two fronts of the rock 27 situ, projecting from the debris by which they are surrounded, present themselves, the one at the distance of some hundred feet aboye the other, in the line of ascent. Of these, the inferi- or is a small-granular sienitic porphyry, with scales of mica, and a reddish colour; but the higher rock is unexpectedly found, on applying the hammer, to consist of a greyish-black sub- stance, sometimes inclining to a deep green, with it unexpectedly comfortable, both for provision and for - lodging. Macmillan, the guide, is well acquainted with. all the localities of the mountain. eae Main tinelpe et ‘BEN-NEVIS.| 332 an uniform texture, which seems at first sight in its characters and fracture to resemble basalt. -- Struck with this unlooked for appearance, and comparing it with what I afterwards found at the “summit, J conceived at first, and for some time, that the observation thus made was the discovery of 1a floetz-formation, consisting of clinkstone over porphyry-slate and basalt, and resting immediately onsienite. I therefore applied myself with eager- ness to find out what might be considered as the junction or line where the transition takes place. But the intermediate space, the bed of the rivulet, and the surrounding acclivity in every direction, are so completely covered with fragments, that the line sought cannot be discovered hereabouts. ‘So that, after spending a long time, and returning on ‘purpose another day to prosecute the search, I was obliged to abandon it without success. _ At the same time, although on this face of the “mountain, the quantity of debris from the high- er rocks is prodigious, and descends probably a little below the upper part of the sienitic mass, the experienced eye can easily trace the horizon- etal line, where the fragments of the subjacent felspar-porphyry begin to mix with those of the overlying dark-coloured substance. It runs along the acclivity towards the north shoulder, and is -evidently but a small distance under the presum- ed junction. Imay further observe, that all the rocks at this part of the ascent, are so little unco- ’ é tye ON THE HIGHLANDs. vered, and decompose in such a manner, that it is difficult to ascertain. whether or no they are dis- posed in beds, and if they are so, to determine precisely their dip and direction. » Splitting, in- deed, in rhomboidal masses, they appear in one view to consist of layers or strata, which main- tain a pretty regular bearing, east of north, with an inclination of 75° dip north of west. But an- other view presents uniform lines of separation in the mass, which suggest the idea of a dip and. direction entirely different ; a circumstance, which is probably owing to the structure of the stone, as occurring in tabular distinct concretions. — rb It then struck: me, that the junction I had sought in vain, might’ perhaps be found laid open on the opposite side of the mountain, along the front of the precipice. With this hope, which it will afterwards appear was not unfounded, I con- soled myself for the disappointment now suffered, and resumed the ascent, along which, the dark coloured rock soon begins, by the addition of em- bedded crystals, or concretions, of reddish fel- spar, to. exhibit a porphyritic aspect. These crystals or nodules, are of great ‘size in some places, particularly near the summit, where we ob- serve them as large as a common brick, or even larger, and of a similar appearance and shape. When they are of an ordinary size, and uniform- ly disseminated through the mass of the rock,:as it occurs at different places of the ascent, we havea regular and excellent porphyry, of whichthe ~ BYN-NEVIS. 234 base exhibits the same characters with the black- ish rock where it first appears. At the summit itself, the porphyritic structure is less remarkable, and the minute crystals have a Pele colour, or t dis- appear entirely. | From the bottom of the acclivity to the top of Bea-Nevis, one uniform character of nakedness and ‘sterility, as already noticed, every where reigns; and it is but rarely that a cliff of the rock ig seen struggling to rear its head from the ocean of fragments, with which the great body of the mountain at this elevation, is overwhelmed on all sides. Specimens therefore cannot often be pro- cured from the mass in situ ; but the debris, more particularly towards the summit, can hardly be far from their original position. . Ain SUMMIT. The fatigue of ascending is now lessened by the diminution of the steepness; and our atten- tion, on reaching the summit is soon attracted from the broken rocks on which we are tread- ing, to the boundless prospect which bursts upon us, all around. Of this sublime and unrivalled scene, elevation immensity and extent are the leading characters that give the whole its interest. The parts, indeed, appear on too vast a scale to constitute beauty, and the individual objects ce _ ON THE HIGHLANDS. which contribute to this effect, aré too remote to: be distinctly seen. Mountain ranges in every di- rection, and huge masses of arid rock, interming- led with extensive water surfaces, compose the principal features of the view : which here ranges from the Murray Frith, and the mountains of Ross and Sutherland on the north and north-east, to Ben-Lomond on the south, and the island of -Colonsa on the south-west, including a distance of nearly 180 miles. A new effect im the way of embellishment, is thus produced, For besides the ordinary groups in an alpine landseape, lakes, islands, and the great ocean enrich the prospect, and fill the eye with a picturesque variety, which is wanting in the grand central view from Ben- More. The vast hollow which stretches from Fort- George to the Sound of Mull, and along which the Great Canal now begun, is intended to form a communication betwixt the northern and western ocean, is seén at once in all its extent.. Among the mountains the most conspicuous, are Ben- Wyvis in Ross-shire, Cruachan, Bendoran; Ben- More in Mull ; and Schihallion to the east, which viewed from this position, appears more insulated, than in any other direction, and shews the pro- priety of its being selected by Dr Maskelyne for his experimenits on gravitation. | Withall this diversity of magnificentand seeileadlh objects to feast the eye, and captivate the mind, the prospect from Ben-Nevis can scarcely be equalled | BEN-NEVIS. 335 or at least exceeded in majesty and grandéur. it presents a scene on which the imagination may dwell with delight, but of which it is dificult by mere description to convey a just idea.—The feel- ings excited at this commanding elevation, are not, however, entirely unmingled with sensations ef a different kind, when we take our atten- tion from the objects at a distance, to the spot en which we stand. On looking beneath us, a few paces from the summit, we see the edge of a frightful precipice, which cannot be approached without caution, and from which the boldest must shrink with terror. What adds to the danger of the trembling spectator, the edge itself is wholly composed of loose fragments, which a little pres- sure is often sufficient to displace, and, when of any considerable size, their own weight soon urgés down the precipice, with a rushing noise and tremendous crash. This sound, produced by the rattling of the stone, as it impinges successive- ly during its fall, on the projecting points of the perpendicular rock, is reverberated among the surrounding cliffs, and filling the vast adjacent cavity, thunders along the valley below. The. effect accordingly on the ear, is grand and im- pressive ; and has oceasidned the common but perilous aniusement, of heaving stones from the top of the precipice into the dreadful abyss. - It is evident, that in the course of being re- duced to its present fragmented state, the height of the rock which forms the summit, and conse- 9 36 ON THE HIGHLANDS. ‘quently of the whole’ mountain itsélf, must have ‘suffered a considerable diminution. Still Ben- ‘Nevis, as is well known, overtops the whole of its neighbours, although many of them are very high. In looking from the summit, on those particularly which lie to the south, it is impos- sible to avoid being struck with the resemblance, ‘which, from their peculiar shape, they bear to the waves of the ocean agitated by a violent tempest. Such an appearance may give birth in the fertile imagination to a variety of curious geological conjectures. The effect, also, of elevation in diminishing apparent distance, is extremely sen- sible from Ben-Nevis. Thus, the islands towards the sound of Mull, although at the distance of ‘thirty miles, seem as if placed under our feet. I may further remark, that so far as I could judge from my own sensations, the rarity of the air at this altitude, had no perceptible influence on respiration. Its effect, indeed, must very fre- quently be counteracted by a circumstance, which probably is not duly attended to, or remarked ; that the agitation of the atmosphere, either sensi- bly or imperceptibly, by those causes which pro- duce its motion, may occasion a state of it, differ- ent from what would take place, were the equili- brium according to. the laws of statics, to exist as in perfect stillness. The state here alluded to, resembles that which is produced, by shaking to- gether liquors of different specific gravity ; the heavier particles may occupy in turn, the higher 1 BEN-NEVIS, i 337 place, while’ the motion continues, and a sort of medium density may be the result. STONE-BURN. The common ascent, and the summit, of Ben- Nevis, being thus examined, my next object, when I resumed the investigation, was to survey the mouhtain, on the opposite or precipice-side. This is done by following upwards the course of the two streams, called the Mill-Burn, and the Stone-Burn. For it is only in the channels of these rivulets, that we find the rocks on this side, laid bare for examination. ‘These channels were traced with great attention; and I trust that no- thing of importance in their contents escaped my notice. | In ascending, then, from the .bottom of these streams, a succession of characters in the appear- ance of the rocks, similar to that which has been described on the way to the summit, is found to take place. Having observed the mica-slate con- . taining small disseminated shorl, and the beds of gneiss, which running as usual with an inelina« tion of 70°, appear to form the base of the country on the west-and north; we meet at first with a species of sienite, in which the prevalence of the . hornblende intermixed with mica, and the grey-. ish-white colour of the felspar, give the rock the aspect of grey, and sometimes a tendency in its y ie se 1. aF hg 338 ON THE HIGHLANDS. nature to primitive greenstone. Higher up, the colour of the felspar changes to different varieties of red, and we have porphyritic sienite, with crystals of felspar and scales of mica; which at length passes into a substance resembling sienite- porphyry, and towards the lower part of the pre- cipice, into felspar-porphyry, or rather, to speak more properly, into porphyritic compact-felspar. It is by no means improbable, that in this por- tion of the great formation we are describing, which consists of sienite, simple-granular and porphyritic, the rock at some places, by the dimi- nution of its hornblende, and the addition of quartz to the remaining felspar and mica, may ap- proach the characters of newer granite; but none of the specimens I was able to procure, entitle me to pronounce with any certainty that this isthe. fact. The rock described by Mr Williams in his Mineral Kingdom, as the “‘ elegant reddish gra- “¢ nite of Ben-Nevis, and perhaps the most beauti- ‘“‘ ful in the world,”’ appears to be the simple granu- lar-sienite, in which the crystals of felspar are less conspicuous. His porphyry, also, “ of a reddish ‘‘cast,’’ in which he says, “ the pale rose, the blush, “and the yellowish colours are finely blended “‘through the body of the stone,”’ is the beautiful porphyritic-sienite ; and the ‘‘ porphyry of a green- “ish colour, with a tinge of browmnish-red,’’ which he speaks of, as to be found at about three-fourths of the distance up, seems to be what I have men-— tioned as composing the summit of the mountain. BEN-NEVIS. 239 Along the stage of our progress upwards, now described, specimens occur, which contain appa-. tent fragments. These obviously illustrate the doctrine of cotemporaneous formation; as the included matters exhibit only a different arrange- ment of the component parts. The rock itself, as we advance, afterwards begins to be somewhat mixed with the substance of hornblende, not in vranular distinct concretions, but intimately dif- fused throughout the base; and this tinging imatter increasing in quantity, at last communi- cates the blackish colour already noticed, as cha- racterising the whole mass of the precipice and summit. I formerly mentioned my expectation *, that on this side I might find the junction, or ra- ther transition into one another, of these differ- ently coloured rocks ; which I had been unable to discover, among the debris on the opposite shoul- der of the mountain. in the lower part of the glen, accordingly, the change may be discerned in the face of the precipice, but the place of it is inaccessible. At length, in toiling up the hollow, to my great joy, I found the object of my search ; nearly under a ledge of rocks, which crosses the as- cent, betwixt the precipice and the stream.—Here, in passing, the eye is arrested, and the mind fixed in astonishment, by the first complete view of an alpine scene, perhaps the noblest of its kind in the British islands. . Cs i oan ne EY * Antes, p. 332 ¥ 2 349 ON THE HIGHLANDS. PRECIPICE. Imagine a precipitous front of rock, at least 1500 feet high, bending forwards at many of its points, with a threatening aspect, and extending itself to a distance of almost, two miles, with en- ormous projecting masses or abutments, which fillthe great re-entering angle of the mountain, and.divide it into vast recesses or aisles of the wildest aspect. Of this stupendous and impres- sive object, the grand and singularly picturesque feature is what may be called the angularity of its appearance, both as a whole, and in its subordi- nate parts. ‘The face of the rock, in the progress of waste and decomposition, is every where fur- rowed or fretted by lines, which at a distance seem to shape it into innumerable fasciculi of small columns or fluted pillars, resembling colum- nar distinct concretions. These again are joined together in an endless variety of groups ascend- ing into pointed summits and serrated ridges, which form the most elegant mountain-lines, and which accumulate in the projections and recesses, towering successively behind each other, till the whole terminate at the summit of the mountain. In this manner, the general outline of the pre- cipice, as it strikes the eye in a single coup-d’oeil, from the position 1 have mentioned, may be as- BEN-NEVIS. ~ 341 similated to a vast triangle, of which the apex is the top of Ben-Nevis. | Such is the mode of seietedtiiag to communi- cate a faint: idea of this trily majestic work of nature.’ Its’ magnificence and wildness, in- deed, baffle description,.and can scarcely be. con- ceived without being seen.. From the west, Ben- Nevis‘appears only an object of immense magni- tude, without elegance of outline or picturesque beauty. ):But on this side, language fails in at- tempting to paint its awful grandeur and terrific sublimity.::/ It would: afford an: inimitable subject for the’ pencil: in the:rude style, were it not, that a position could hardly be found, to give it in all its picturesque effect, under an angle of less than 60°, which it seems is requisite for that pur- pose. , ‘After passing the great? projection, which ter- minates ‘the: precipiceyon the east, we find the hollow in the shape of) a vast oblong bason, run- ning westward, in.a direction almost. perpendicu- lar to.itsiformer bearing; -with:the precipice still accompanying it, and forming’ its: boundary on the “right shands)o9At cthis “places! ithe caspect: off. rudeness on every side; vis peculiarly In the position frem which the first) part of the’ precipice is viewed, the ‘eye may be relieved by directing it) downwards on the level country, and on the vegetating isurface, cheered by the pre- sence of «the: browzing: flocks, «which in our ascent we had left behind. Here, however, when ¥3 “striking. % 342 ON THE HIGHLANDS, we look around, nothing but ruggedness and deso- lation meets our view ; not a vestige appears of what could contribute to the existence or comfort — of the living world. If we turn from contemplat- ing the fearful precipice, it, is anly to the sight of . arid fragments, the ruins of nature, which the wandering foot of man or ’ beast has rarely trod ; and which seem, as if pouring down in a tor- rent from the surrounding cliffs, to overwhelm the spectator thrilled with horror at what he be- holds. . Nor is the picture exaggerated. ‘This ts truly. ‘¢ the region, where nature dwells in awful soli- “tude ;’”’ and, except when the tempest, the torrent or the thunder rules the scene, silence reigns, interrupted only by the sound of the eagle, or the murmur of the brook stealing al- most unnoticed through the scattered fragments of the rocks. No view of what is grand or desert- ed in nature, can produce on the mind a more deep and awful impression of that power, “ which ** rends asunder the mountains, breaks in pieces ‘‘ the rocks, and shakes the pillars of the world.” _ It was after witnessing such effects, that the Pro- phet heard i in *‘ the wilderness’’ the “ still small ‘* voice,’” of Omnipotence. In this “ lonely region,’’ my surprise and de- light were raised to the utmost, by discovering the line of transition or junction between the dif- ferent-coloured masses, laid bare on the front of the precipice near its foot, and stretching horizon- BEN-NEVIS. 343 tally for almost a mile. The beginning of the line, at the east projection is accessible by climb- ing up the broken rocks; and on advancing a little farther in this direction of the hollow, we find it open toa splendid view of the same beautiful appearance, which, along the face of the perpen- dicular section, exhibits the structure of the whole summit. This line of apparent junction, though horizontal, is not straight, but a minute an- gular zigzag ; and when closely inspected, is found to be, not the separation of two different rocks, but merely the passage of the same rock into a dif- ferent colour. For, the gradual transition of the one substance into the other, with no change on any of the characters, excepting the colour, de- monstrates the identity and continuity af the for- mation. We see it distinctly at the spot un- der the north-east front of the precipice, whcre the transition is first observed ; as the specimens shew. Mr Williams, therefore, was misled by the appearance, when he considered the dark-coloured rock as a distinct stratification over granite: both of these substances are equally massive and un- stratified. ¢ But as the upper part of this formation has certainly an unusual and unexpected appearance, in a geognostic point of view, I shall now en- ter a little more particularly into the considera- tion of its oryctognostic characters, for the pur- pose of determining its nature and relations, v4 344 ON THE HIGHLANDS. This rock, as formerly, observed, contains in general crystals of felspar. It occurs, however, in different places, without the porphyritic struc- ture; and has then a strong resemblance in some instances to basalt, but more frequently. to clink- stone ; as at the top, where, 1f struck, with a ham- mer, many of the fragments or loose. pieces, ring like metal. Its fracture exhibits the. varieties of the splintery, the flat conchoidal, and the foliated ; and its colours, those of the greyish- black, a the dark- greenish-grey. But, it does not appear to be ever vesicular, or translucent on the edges ; it contains no traces of olivine or augite,.so far as my observation extended ; nor. is the principal ‘fracture slaty in the great, a.character without which the porphyritic varieties cannot be consider- ed as porphyry-slate. i op True clinkstone and basalt, indeed, are sub- stances which belong to a newer and very dif- ferent zra of. formation, and do not seem to be so purely chemical in their nature as the rock we are considering. But the affinity of external characters now pointed out; illustrates one of the principles of the Geognosy *, and appears strongly to support a conjecture ie my friend Professor * « The resemblance of the newer porphyry to the ‘¢ newest fleetz-trap formation, 1s deserving of attention. “* The points of agreement are, zz the stone itself, n the ‘structure of the rocks,” &c. Jameson’s Geognosy, p.138. ef BEN; NEVIS». 5 345 Jameson, that clinkstone and felspar ate nearly allied: because the.geognostic position and ‘rela- tions, along with the splintery fracture, of the Ben- _ Nevis-rock, demonstrate, that it has a strong affini- ty to compact-felspar tinged with hornblende ; and, from a variety of observations made in Ar- ran, Dumfries-shire, and the vicinity of ;Edin- burgh, Mr Jameson has inferred, that clinkstone- porphyry passes into compact-felspar and clay- stone... The. great distinction betwixt the -sub- stances of this genus, which belong to the primi- tive and floetz periods, seems to be, that the for- mer in general. are more crystalline ; something a- kin to. the: relation which subsists betwixt primi- tive and transition or flcetz-limestone., i It is more than probably the external similari- ty here described, which has occasioned. Dr Reuss, in his Mineralogical Description of Bohe- mia, to mention clinkstone as belonging to the primitive rocks ; an assertion which does not yet appear to be sufficiently warranted by facts. The clinkstone also, and porphyry-slate, observed by Humboldt in South America, it is not unlikely, may, in many cases, be rocks of a similar descrip- tion and period of formation. * According to this view, as many mountains of an intermediate or considerable height are covered in a manner si- milar to Ben-Nevis, it would be interesting to inquire whether the same circumstance takes place, with regard to any others of this descrip- tion, seen in the range of the stirrounding country, 346 ON THE HIGHLANDS. such as Bendoran, Ben-Loy, Cruachan, Ben-More in Mull, or Ben-Wyvis in Ross-shire. From the appearance of the lofty hill, second in succession to the east of Ben-Nevis, I was satisfied that its summit also is composed of similar rocks ; and the case is probably the same, with various moun- tains to the east and south. The mineralogical description now given, forms .the reply to the 14th query of Professor Jame- son*. Ben-Nevis must be considered as an over- lying newer ; ri a:tive forfatiou ? the upper part is the second porphyry-fo ::ation. and the under is sienite: the whole resting on gneiss and mica- slate, of which the ne:g .bouring country is com- posed.—After these remarks, which the singular appearances we have considered, seemed to re- quire, I resume my narrative. On reaching the upper point of the hollow, to- wards the western termination of the preci- pice, our progress 1s obstructed by the lofty ridge which joins the summit on the south; and if we wish to prosecute our investigation, by completing the circuit of the mountain, we must encounter a steep, or rather a precipice, of the most formi- dable aspect. Having mounted it with much difficulty, and not without danger, as if escaping from a place of confinement, we are still, for a great way, surrounded with fragments of ates different rocks already observed. * Supra, p. 115. BEN-NEVIS. 347 SOUTH DECLIVITY. Among a variety of interesting objects which now present themselves, there is seen on the op- posite side of the Nevis, which washes the south- ern base of the mountain, a splendid waterfall of not less than 500 feet in perpendicular height. It is also remarkable, that the rock over which the stream rushes, appears, at the distance from which I observed it, to be disposed in regular strata, probably of gneiss or mica-slate, with an inclination towards Ben-Nevis. At the position thus reached, I found myself in the region of debris which extends along the. acclivity of the mountain to the place on the west side, where the change of colour in the rock was first observed without discovering the line of transition. Further research in that direction, did not therefore promise to furnish any additional oryctognostic information. Descending, accord- ingly, by the course of the fifth or last stream, which was described as rynning in a direction opposite to that of the Stone-Burn, little occurs to engage the attention of the mineralogist, at least in the general characters of the rock ; which seem- ed, as far as I-could observe, to be, for the most part, much the same with those of the substances, at the corresponding heights on the north side, formerly described. « 348 ON THE HIGHLANDS. The stream itself, after an extremely rapid de- scent of two miles, pouring down a smooth front, with an inclination of at least 60°, forms an ele- gant sheet of water, or fall, of a singular and striking appearance. A little below, it joins the Nevis.—In. this sequestered bosom of nature, along with the sublime, to excite wonder, there is a mixture of the beautiful to give. delight. ‘‘ The windings of the .river; the verdure of the ‘“¢ trees ; the wildness of the rocks; the terrific as- *¢ pect of the hills ; the mist flying swiftly on their ** tops ; the clouds rolling along with velocity ; the ‘‘ lonely situation, remote from human eye ; every “thing conspires to. make this fall of water one ‘‘ of the grandest objects in nature *,”’ GLEN-NEVIS. The interesting recess just mentioned, lies at the: head. of Glen-Nevis, in which the various: picturesque objects of stupendous rocks, hanging. woods, and sounding: torrents, compose a beauti-’ ful and romantic’ scenery.. As we descend, the: river itself struggles at first through rocks and> birch-woods, for several miles. It then glides: _with a smoother stream along the valley, where’ * Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. viil. p. 422. Pa- rish of Kilmalie. é GLEN-NEVIS.; — 349 its edges are fringed with plantations and verdure, and many charming views occur. | In particular, near the place where the: course of the river bends to the west above the bridge, the slaty stra- ta, which here contain veins of quartz, and’con- formable beds of a kind of felspar,, rise from ‘their common level to form a barrier, through which the water, in forcing its way, produces a peculiarly. fine effect. The Nevis at length reaches the ocean, under the walls of Fort-Wil- | ica “In many places sie its course, which every where presents an interesting field of mineralo- gical research, thé overlying formation, and sub- jacent rocks, may be observed. But, at the time when I travelled the upper part of Glen-Nevis, it was too late in the evening for observation ; the light having been spent in the fatiguing circuit of the whole mountain, which, on this occasion, was performed in one day. I afterwards return- ed, and surveyed the lower part of the glen, which furnished the observations deureaae it, formerly stated. On the side of the mountain, nearly opposite to the house of Glen-Nevis, Colonel Imrie found veins of a deep blackish-green substance, which, in all its characters of aspect and fracture, shews its identity with that portion of the summit-rock which is not porphyritic. A vein of lead-ore, four or five inches thick, is mentioned ‘in fhe ex- cellent statistical account of the parish of Kil. | 350 ON THE HIGHLANDS, malie, by the Reverend Mr Frazer, as occurring on the west side of Ben-Nevis, with a proportion of sulphur, and (white marcasite or) iron-pyrites containing arsenic. At some miles distance’ to the south-east of Ben-Nevis, valuable pebbles, and even sig are. said to be found. ADJACENT ROCKS. Having now, in the way of description, been conducted to the summit, and around the base, of this great and stupendous mountain, we shall take a rapid survey of the adjacent rocks towards the west. The hills which lie betwixt Glen-Nevis sl Fort-William, are composed of the slaty strata, so often described, which, crossing the Glen, run directly under the mountain... Along the tract on the west of the Glen, which it was in my power to examine, these strata are filled with beds, and traversed by veins, of compact-felspar, and of quartz, often mixed, and sometimes di- stinct. At other places, these substances, blend- ed together, form the base of a beautiful porphy-. ry, containing crystals of felspar and hornblende, which vary in magnitude. Near the house of Glen-Nevis, there is a curi- ous rocking-stone, or mass of mica-slate, of a glos bular figure, and of great size, which, as usual in Je : BEN-NEVIS. 351 such cases, owes its property to the circumstance of being equally poised on a projecting edge or corner of its base. ‘This projection penetrates the earth to a small depth, before it reaches the harder ground, or probably the rock, on which it stands. It is evidenty a rolled mass that had sunk into the soft soil, by which its equilibrium is no doubt assisted. A man’s force impressed up- on it, makes a point on its summit describe an arch of a few inches. The vitrified fort on Dundgairdghall, lies a- bout four miles up Glen-Nevis, on the west side. It stands on asummit 1100 or 1200 feet above the level of the river ; and its dimensions seem, as nearly as I could judge, to be ninety feet by forty within the walls, which are raised on the edge of the steep, and, till this day, are very distinct. On the description of what is already so well known, I shall dwell no longer than to say, that the vi- . trified stone appears to have been the particular felspar, (having veins of greenstone, or rather fel- spar and hornblende, with iron-pyrites), of which the neighbouring rocks are composed, and which might melt into the different forms of slag, pre- sented by the specimens. Whatever hypothesjs may be adopted to account for the vitrification of such: forts, the position of Dundgairdghall suffi- ciently corresponds with the opi::ion of Sir George Mackenzie, lately delivered to the Royal Society on this subject. It had probably been the signal- post or watch-tower of Inverlochy Castle, once 352 ON THE HIGHLANDS, the residence of the Scottish Kings, of which, on the north, Dundgairdghall is in sight, while to the south, it commands a view of the lower grounds, towards the entrance of Loch -Linnhe, by which an enemy might approach. All the strata on the west side of Loch-Linnhe, opposite to Fort-William, and on the north side of Loch-Eil, where the grand Caledonian Canal is now begun, consist of gneiss and mica-slate, which at various places present a great variety of peculiar phenomena in their structure. This is found more particularly on the west side of Loch-Linnhe, where the face of the rock, from the shore to a considerable distance on the rising grounds behind, is singularly penetrated with veins and masses of quartz, Ede cnet and often cale-spar. | In the upper quarry, at this termination of the canal, some interesting examples of such veins may be observed. They are either granite, or chiefly felspar, or felspar and quartz. ‘The prin- cipal vein terminates be/ow, in a number of small filaments, but spreads out upwards to a great breadth, overtopping the whole of the stratified matter. An attentive examination of the speci- mens shews satisfactorily, that most of the ap- pearances now described, belong to the original ‘structure of the rock; in’ the mass of which, sometimes the quartz, at others the felspar, pre- vails, to the exclusion of the other ingredients. The veins are filled with materials similar to the BEN-NEVIS._ 353 overlying formation of which Ben-Névis consists. In this district; the strata of gneiss are probably the continuation of those observed on the road to Strontian, and, no doubt, still stretch onwards in the same direction, passing Ben-Nevis to the north-east. What is called the sandstone of Havsatenn, ia is much used for different purposes of the canal, from its being easily chipped or cut, is a particu- lar kind of mica-slate, consisting chiefly of small aaa quartz in layers: Thus, I completed the examination, in a gene- ral view, of Ben-Nevis and its vicinity ; during which, I had to regret, that the investigation was not rewarded by the discovery of a greater variety of mineral substances and geognostic facts. In re- turn, however, for this disappointment, I enjoyed the pleasure of never once being interrupted i in the prosecution of my inquiry, by bad weathier ; and I had the advantage of seeing nature on a grand scale, by which, I trust, something is added to the evidence of that view of the mineral king- dom, with which the President of this Society has made us acquainted *, * S Bh Fir he a EA Although the object of these papers is to re- cord facts without attempting to establish theory, * System of Mineralogy by Professor Jameson, vol. iiis 4 354 ON THE HIGHLANDS. it may not be improper, in concluding, to state the grounds on which it appeared to me, that the operation of fire cannot be recognized in the struc- ture of Ben-Nevis. Had this vast body of mountain been sievonle up from below, we might naturally expect, that the strata on which it is erected, should some- where be found opening or separating, to allow a passage for the ejected matter. Such an appear- ance, I could not discover. Far otherwise, the strata appear pursuing their course undisturbed, till they run beneath the mountain, and re-appear on the other side. It is also observed, that the different substances of which Ben-Nevis consists, meet in smooth and uniform contact, without any symptom of that disturbed and irregular j yurc- tion, which the igneous theory alleges. With regard in particular, to the upper dark- coloured portion of this formation, whatever opinion may be entertained on the subject of its ‘oryctognostic characters, or geognostic relations, its whole phenomena forbid us to consider it as a product of heat. The horizontal direction in which it lies along the subjacent mass of rock, was a na-. : tural effect, if the whole be considered as a depo- sition; but is altogether incompatible with the hypothesis, that 1f projected upwards, it could have assumed such a position over a substance, which, on the principles of this theory, was itself, also an effect of the sameagent. Both these rocks could not have been ejected. in. a fluid state, be- * ‘BEN- NEVIS. 358 cause in cooling, they could not possibly have assumed so distinctly their respective characters, as mineral substances. But they exhibit every indication, which can be required as proof, that they have been regularly and ite aed formed by deposition. Under the precipice, indeed, where the dark coloured rock is first observed along the channel of the stream, it exhibits veins and nodules of fel- spar, which may be regarded as igneous pheno- mena. But the same substance in the same forms, being found in the upper part of the formation, at the distance of many hundred feet in perpendi-_ cular height, from the red coloured rock, and ha- ving evidently no communication with it by means of veins; and a great proportion of the interposed mass, being entirely destitute of the crystals or veins in question : we are entitled by ail the rules of scientific induction to conclude, that the felspar in these cases, forms apart of the original struc- ture of the rock, and has not been intruded into its substance, by the agency of any. external force. The mere similarity of what is contained in such veins and nodules, to the rock below, affords no argument for the doctrine of ejection, since mi- neral substances of the same oryctognostic charac- ters are known to be formed in very different po- sitions and repositories. It is also deserving of remark, that the faces of rock where the veins in qnestign present themselves, are commonly: very Zi ae 356 ON THE HIGHLANDS. little inclined. I have never seen them in fronts nearly perpendicular ; and must therefore con. sider them as either cotemporaneous, or filled from above. Some of the appearances which occur, at the place alluded to, where the surface of the rock is almost horizontal, are plainly owing to the origi- nal shape of the subjacent rock; which might have had points, or small projecting ridges, on its nearly horizontal surface, above which the sub- sequent material being deposited, and after- wards washed or worn away to a smooth super- ficies, has left the appearance of the veins or no- dules, as we now observe them. ‘This idea is completely confirmed by a simple inspection of the splendid perpendicular front which the pre- cipice exhibits on its south side. Here no veins are seen ascending from the reddish reck into the overlying substance. On the contrary, these mas- ses, as already noticed, appear to have been form- ed successively in perfect quietness, and to have as- sociated in the most amicable manner, without the slightest indication of tumultuous or violent concourse. Nordoes the superior include fragments -of the inferior substance ; for the crystals of fel- spar, which give it the character of a porphyry, are obviously of cotemporaneous formation with the rock itself. El ae In this instance, as well as in that of the irre- gular or waved gneiss on the west side of Loch Linnhe, had the crystals or nodules of felspar and cs BEN-NEVIS. 357 quartz been injected by fusion, the whole mass, whether of stratified or of unstratified matter, must not only have had its structure destroyed by the violence of explosion, but have been rendered as porous in every direction as a sponge: for if the appearances we now observe, did not belong to the original formation of the rock, the supposed material in fusion must have penetrated its sub- stance not less intimately than the matter of perspiration passing through the pores of the body; which is inconceivable. To admit the possibility of injection in this form, we must also admit, according to a known law of na- ture, that the substance which contains the injected crystals, must have been fused to a higher degree than the mass from which the crystals were thrown up; that is to say, the superi- or matter, or what was farthest from the cause of the fusion, must have been more fluid than the substance nearest to it, or more immediately under its agency ; which is impossible. If any thing, therefore, in this department of natural science, is capable of proof, we have the evidence of mineralogical demonstration, against the igneous origin of Ben-Nevis. , | have only to add, that though veins of quartz occur frequently in the great mass of this forma- tion, they are seen terminating in every direction. Such veins, occasion no real difficulty, in account- ing for the appearances which they present. 23 APPENDIX, FROM BEN-LAWERS, THROUGH GLENTILT, TO BRAEMAR. ( Read 7th April 1810. ) A\s an Appendix to the papers I have had the honour of reading in this Society, I shall con- clude the account of my remarks on the High- lands, with a mineralogical notice, respecting the tract from Killin by Logierait to Blair-in- Athole, and through Glentilt to Braemar: along - which I passed, without having time to ascertain with greater accuracy, than a rapid survey could afford, the geognostic connection or relative posi- tion, of the beds and minerals which occur in this _ interesting portion of country. | The prevailing rock is mica-slate of different kinds, containing a great variety of the subordi; BEN-LAWERS. 359 nate minerals, which characterize that forma- tion.—At Killin, the river in forcing itself over the edges of the strata, presents an uncommonly striking appearance, which heightens the effect of the beautiful scenery Au around. On the acclivity of BEN-LAWERS, the strata consist of an older rock, which is rather thick slaty, approaching to gneiss, and which ex- hibits minute undulation, in many forms. Specks, too, appear of iron-pyrites decomposing. Granu- lar limestone is found at the foot of the moun- tain near Loch-'Lay; and towards the bottom of the north side, clay-slate is saidtooccur. At the summit, the mica-slate has a yellowish tinge: And we find particular beds in which the granu- lar quartz predominates, almost to the exclusion of every other ingredient. ‘This variety has some resemblance to a sandstone. The waving structure just noticed, bas been mentioned as a proof, that the rock itself had once existed in the state of a flexible and tena- cious paste softened by heat. Supposing, how- ever, what is admitted on all hands, that strati- fied matter, could have been deposited in horizon- tal or straight lamin; is it not easily conceiv- able, and in truth, the necessary result of me- Z 4 eres 360 ON THE HI CHLANDS. chanical laws, that if the depositing solvent’ were any how agitated into waves or undulze, the de- position also should exhibit in its form the cor- responding effect of such agitation : > No appear- ance is more familiar, than the undulatory ar rangement Which the particles of sand assume at the side of a running stream, or on the sea-shore, by the mechanical action of the water, more especially, where the motion is obstructed by any obstacle; presenting layers, variously bent, and with every degree of inclination, from the hori- zontal to the vertical position. All the irregu- larities of elevation and depression, on the surface of the subjacent rock must ‘also be taken into ac- count. The inflexions in question, are besides on a scale extremely minute, and produce no al- teration whatever, on the genera] direction of the strata. . ff It may, in passing, be remarked, that from this elevation, which probably exceeds the height of Ben-More by an hundred feet, the prospect, though uncommonly noble and extensive, is hardly to be considered as equally complete with the alpine view from that mountain, formerly described. It commands indeed a longer sweep of Loch-Tay, and a greater range of the low country to the south- east. But the Dochart Hills exclude from the eye, almost the whole of the south-west Highlands, ‘the only objects which at such a dis- tance produce any picturesque effect ; and the expanse along the horizon, from east to south, is BEN-LAWERS. 2a" comparatively less abrupt and interesting. At the same time, so fine a landscape can never be ‘contemplated without admiration and delight, by the eye which is able to mark the grand and the beautiful in nature. On this occasion, a remarkably interesting cir- ~ cumstance occurred, which is not unfrequent in alpine regions. After some hours of an uncom- monly serene and beautiful sky, a sudden haze overspread the atmosphere in every direction. The rapidity of the change was not less surpriz- ing than its effect to the eye ; for while the tops of the mountains on every side, were hid in the mist, the view remained clear and distinct underneath, to the utmost distance. It is difficult to imagine an atmospheric appearance of the same kind, more singular and curious, than the aspect of the scene thus diversified. The Highlands resembled a multitude of pyramids, scattered confusedly on a vast plain, and losing their summits in the clouds. | Along the course of the Tay, the rock con- tinues of a similar character, till we reach the neighbourhood of Logierait, where it assumes a shining lustre with a tinge of bluish-grey ; and an intermixture of beautiful garnets, having a deep red colour, begins to appear. Beyond Mullenearn, on the road to Blair, gneiss occurs; and if we -may judge from the fragments met with in the famous pass of Killicrankie, the rocks which 362 ON THE HIGHLANDS. compose it, consist of quartzy mica-slate, with. limestone-beds, hornblende- date, and sienite con- taining mica. GLENTILT. The variety of rocky substances, found in Glen- Tilt, and the peculiar appearances which they ex- hibit, made me regret, that when I reached it, the time which remained for the examination of 80 interesting a tract, was extremely limited. In the way of picturesque beauty, it possesses less attraction, than many scenes to be met with in the Highlands. But few districts of the same extent, are more calculated to arrest the atten- tion, and repay the labour, of the minera- logist. , _ In this direction, we remark as formerly, that the whole range of alpine country, is a grand for- mation of gneiss and mica-slate, to which all the particular minerals now to be mentioned, are subordinate. Accordingly, the lower part of Glen- Tilt presents mica-slate, tending to ;gneiss ; and in many places, gneiss itself is also seen, passing distinctly into mica-slate. This formation ¢on- tains repeated beds of limestone: and thin layers of stratified quartz, alternating with those of the mica-slate, cross the channel of the river, in the eommon direction of south-west and north-east. GLENTILT. 363 In many of the strata, the mica-slate is coloured with hornblende. Veins of quartz and felspar, every where abound.—Higher up, fragments of sienite and newer granite are found in the debris, along the acclivity on the north side. It is, therefore, not impossible, that an overlying for- mation of these substances may be discovered at the summit of the neighbouring heights. But of all the rocks which seem peculiar to Glen-Tilt, the most remarkable is a granular ag- gregate of felspar and hornblende, containing oc- casionally an admixture of quartz: in which these. ingredients, occurring. in greater or less abundance, and assuming an endless diversity of proportions, exhibit the mineral which they com- pose, under many different external aspects of the sienitic and greenstone species. It has, ac- cordingly, from its appearance at some places, been confounded with granite. .From this, how- ever, it is completely distinguished, by the pre- sence of hornblende, and the absence of mica; scales of which so rarely occur, that they can- not be considered as any constituent part of the stone. This substance, when we ascend Glen-Tilt, is first observed in thin layers, alternating with stra- ta of micaceous and quartzy rocks, in the bed of the river, a few miles before we reach the Lodge. It afterwards appears in greater abundance, ac- companied still with mica-slate of various as- ' 364 ON THE HIGHLANDS. pects, and at other places, with hornblende-rock, and hornblende-slate. In this part of the forma- tion, the matter of hornblende prevails so much, as often to colour, not only the substances com- posed of quartz and felspar, but even the mica- ceous strata themselves. The connection, in- deed, which exists here, between the hornblende and mica-slate, resembles so nearly what is men- tioned by Von Buch, as occurring in the envi-— rons of Landeck, that I cannot describe it more exactly than by quoting his description. “* Mi- ‘“‘ ca-slate is often seen to pass into hornblende: ‘‘ the mica-slate begins to be changed into a rock ‘¢ of a deep greyish-black, which is an intimate ‘‘ mixture of quartz and mica; then it becomes “harder and more difficultly frangible; the mi- “‘ca by degrees giving place to the hornblende, ‘‘ which at last preponderates. At other times, ‘“¢ we do not observe the passage of the one into ‘“‘ the other, and it is simply a bed (with a base *¢ of hornblende) of considerable thickness in the «« mica-slate *.”? Iron-pyrites is an ingredient that pervades occasionally all the rocks to which I allude. At length, a mass of the granular aggregrate now described, which is of great size, and which Professor Jameson suspects to be Sienitic Greenstone, shews itself in the bed of the * Translation by Dr €. Anderson, p- 33. pose GLENTILT. 365 river, about two miles below the Lodge. Here it is accompanied with a bed of coarse quartzy rock. It afterwards appears laid bare by the action of the stream at different places farther up, till we pass the Lodge ; and every where, particu- larly at the bridge, its structure 1s curious, and its aspect striking. Nor does this substance ter- -minate here, but may be traced, through a dis- tance of eight or ten miles, along the course of the water to the head of Glen-Tilt,; where also we still find the quartzy material just mentioned. By taking the bearings of its successive por- tions in the neighbourhood of the Lodge, this singular and indestructible rock is found: to consist, not of six different veins, as has been stated, but of one vast conformable mass, which prevades the great formation, in a direc-. tion that is uniform, and nearly the same with what is common to all the strata; and of which the out-going at some places intersects the chan- nel of the Tilt, though it is covered for the most part with soil or debris. The continuity of the mass, in the general direction of its cropping out, is a fact of which there can be no doubt. But I had not data for completely satisfying myself, whether in reality it is a bed; or a vein lying nearly in the direction of the strata; or possibly a long ridge of rock, previously formed and laid bare, from the subsequently deposited strata, in the course of decomposition and waste. The great presumption, that it is a bed, rests on the confor- 366 ON THE HIGHLANDS. . mity of its position, and on the circumstance al- ready noticed, that layers or strata of the same material, but of a-smaller size, are found in the lower part of the Glen, alternating regularly with the usual strata of the district. | It rarely happens, that a pailéné paid opini- on, however uncommon, cannot appeal to some phenomena of nature, as seeming to give it the colour of truth. The great bed, by which Glen- Tilt is thus distinguished, has been quoted as a demonstration of the ingenious hypothesis, which ascribes the consolidation of the principal. sub- stances in the mineral kingdom, to the action of heat variously modified. ‘That the melted rock had invaded the country, and been introduced into the adjacent shistus, from the bowels of the earth, is assumed as an undeniable fact, without even the form of illustration. A fertile imagination, it is true, might figure the mass, as it strikes the eye, viewing it from the bridge above the Lodge, to have been once in fusion, floating fragments of the neighbouring rocks. The argument, how- ever on this ground, is altogether equivocal, since fragments must have been found in beds and veins, whether they were formed by deposition from above, or by igneous projection from : below.—It must also be observed, that a more careful oryc- tognostical examination, satisfactorily proves, that many substances mistaken for fragments at first view, are really of cotemporanecous formation with the including rock. This observation applies GLENTILT. 367 - particularly to the mass we are speaking of; in which the veins and nodules of felspar, found terminating in every direction, and the apparent angular masses of hornblende, obviously belong to the natural structure of the stone, and could not possibly have been injected by external force. ‘The. existence, in fine, of;calc-spar, as a frequent material | in this rock, appears, decisive aun the Pinas tilety of its. igneous origin, » so thé.,south of the bridge, a. aa bed of Di aictisncstanc runs along the. face of : the vacclivity at a considerable height, and, I suppose, at some, distance up the river crosses the channel in a conformable direction. T wo miles, above the Lodge, the sienitic greenstone contains,calc- spar coloured by hornblende. Common primitive greenstone 18 also|found at different places.. Fur- ther still, and'at a small distance from the ‘Tarf- Linn, the hornblende. and. felspSr, in this spe- cies of tock, assume a, peculigr and distinct granular form, which is.;sometimes .obser- ~vedjon a great scale. -Here. we find. veins. con- sisting of aggregated felspar, quartz and horn- blende. Mica-slate then re-appears, with stripes of quartz, immediately below. the ‘Tarf-Linn, and, seems to form the rock ;over which the stream there precipitates itself. Beyond the Linn, on the way to Braemar,, the rocks .are composed, along the channel of the. Tilt, of a coarse quartzy substance, which is penetrated with veins of shining quartz, and appears to be & oC ON THE HIGHLANDS. very getierally mixed with steatite, giving the materials a tinge of green or greenish-white. *% BRAEMAR. After leaving Glen-Tilt, the tract by which we are conducted through the mountains for many miles in this direction, is so covered with soil and debris, as to afford no field of mineralogical ex- amination, before we arrive at the course of the Dee: where the first remarkable substance that meets the eye, is hornstone, with a colour inter- mediate between greenish-grey, and yellow- ish-grey, disposed in great beds, and forming the eminences on the left, towards the forest of Braemar. This substance is subordinate to gneiss, and quartzy mica-slate ; which are soon discovered as we advance along the course of the stream. At what is called the Linn of Dee, the rock consists of mica-slate ; and the’rolled frag- ments which occur near it, shew the vicinity of older granite, composing probably the great mass of the mountain-ranges on both sides of the hol- low in which the river flows. Above Marr-Lodge, we have quartzy mica- slate, and beds of beautiful felspar-porphyry, with crystals of quartz, as well as of felspar. The same minerals continue to occur, till within a mile and a half of Castleton, where a granular- limestone makes its appearance, along with por- BRAEMAR. 369 phyry, and beds of quartz darkened with horn- blende. Gneiss, then, seems to prevail.—At last, around the Castleton of Braemar, we find the granite, of which the Grampians are composed, and‘which, it is probable, runs beneath the whole of Scotland. Of this granite, it has been supposed, that the great felspar bed of Glen-Tilt forms a branch. I have, however, already noticed, that the latter substance is not a granite; and a simple inspec- tion of the specimens shews at once, that the oryctognostic characters of the rocks in question are entirely. distinct. ; It is proper to mention, that after passing the Linn of Dee, my observations were made, not along the channel of the river itself, but in the vi- cinity of the road to Castleton. These remarks on the mineralogy of Glentilt and Braemar, are calculated rather to excite than to gratify curiosity, with regard to an interesting range of alpine country, which has not yet been examined with the attention it deserves. A@ 379 ACCOUNT OF XVII. Account of North British Testacea. wen By J. Laskey, Ese. Zo THE SECRETARY. SIR, : Seton-House, 23d Jan. 1809. Poamrr me to lay before the Society a list of Testacea collected by me in North Britain, At the same time, I beg leave to offer, for the use of the Wernerian Society, a specimen of each, as far as duplicates are in my cabinet ; to which I shall add specimens from the southern shores: And I hope the whole will form a tolerable cabinet of British Testacea. I am induced to take up this sub- ject, from knowing that several papers on North British Zoology have already been submitted to this Society by its Members ; and I am in hopes this will help to fill up a chasm, at present vacant. By this catalogue will be seen the riches of the seas and shores of North Britain ; they having al- ready produced 129 species of multivalve and bi- valve and 142 species of univalve shells, in NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA. 371 all 271 species; and no doubt many more may be added, by the zeal of our Members. I have mentioned no shell but what has actually come under my own eye, and now remains in my cabinet. Not having entered into the microsco- _ pic species, I am certain a rich harvest awaits any inquirer inclined for this pursuit. It gives me pleasure to acquaint the Members of the Society, that I have added near 50 new species of Testacea to the British Fauna, from their native shores ; and also having met with several species, to which much doubt was attached, I have now positively fixed them as inhabitants of the British seas, 1 am, oir, yours, &c. j. Laskey, Capt. 2ist Militia. I shall deem it sufficient to refer to the Testacea Britannica of Montagu, to Pennant’s British oo- logy, and Donovan’s British Shells, for the syno- nymes; which shall besignified by the following abbreviations : | M. - - Montagu’s Testacea Britannica. P. - - Pennant’s British Zoology. D. - - Donovan’s British Shells. 3792 ACCOUNT OF TESTACEA or SHELLS. Animals soft, of a simple Structure, and covered with a calcareous Habitation or Shell. MULTIVALVIA. CHITON. Animal inhabiting the shell a Doris. Shell con- sisting of several segments or valves, disposed down the back in a longitudinal series. No. Name. AvuTHors. HazsitatT, AND REMARKS. . marginatus. P.M. Neighbourhood of Dunbar. Valves of this shell have been procured of three- fourths of an inch in width; but never a living speci- men answering to this size. Se ®. cinereus. M. Ditto, plentiful. S. fascicularis. M. Ditto, not common. 4, levis. M. Ditto, very rare, LEPAS. Animal a Triton. Shell affixed at the base, and consisting of many erect valves. i ~NORTH RRITISH TESTACEA, 373 I think it necessary to separate this family into two divisions, following the author of Testacea Britannica as my guide. First Division. —shell affixed by a tubular ar ' a iar | LEPAS. “]. atiatifera. “ P.D.M. Shore of Icolmkill, scarce. ‘ More plentiful on the sides a of the New Bason, Leith. 2. ansetifera. Shore of Icolmkill, scarce. 3. cornucopia, ae M.. Shore of Icolmkill, and on pousse-pieds, drifted wood near Dunbar, very rare. A fine specimen from Icolmkill is figured by Montagu, in Appendix to Test. Brit. penined Division.—Affixed at the base. BALANUS. > a M4 M. Rocks in Frith of Forth, ‘alanine Fail Me obldn. balanus. D, : Ded RBC ALi gt Mien dt Dattoy ditto,. pBo3IUZOS2¢ [5 5g MM... «Ditto, ditto, 4. costata. ~D.M. Dunbar, scarce. 5s Stihata.. P.M.°: Dunbar and;.other coasts, Wet y D.: common. 6. diadema. D.M. Western Isles, sparingly. Known there by the name of Whale Lice, 374 ACCOUNT OF ‘PHOLAS. Animal an Ascidia. Shell bivalve, divaricated, | 1, 2. 3. 4. with several lesser, differently shaped, accesso- ry pieces at the hinge. Hinge recurved, united by acartilage. In the inside, beneath the hinge, is an incurved tooth. crispatus, P.D.M. Leith Roads, Aberlady Bay, and Dunbar. candidus. P. D.M. Ditto, ditto. striatus. D.M. In drifted wood, Dunbar. dactylus. P.D.M. Various parts of the shores : of the Frith. BIVALVIA. MYA. Animal an Ascidia. Shell bivalve, generally ga- t& ping at one end. Hinge with strong, broad, thick teeth, seldom more than one, and not in- | serted into the opposite valve. . arenaria. P. D. M. Dunbar, Aberlady Bay, and other coasts, common. . margaritifera. P.D.M. Loch Tay. From these shells valuable pearls are often taken. . inequivalvis. M. Fine live specimens are ta- ken by the dredge in Leith Roads; and single dead valves are found on many parts of the coast. . NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA, “aap Mra. | 4, truncata. P. D. M. Dunbar, Aberlady Bay, and ~ . other parts of the Frith, common. 5. decussata. M. New species, found near Dunbar. G6. nitens *. M. New species, Dunbar, very rare. Only one specimen has occurred. 7. ferruginosa. M. New species from Porto Bel- lo Sands and near Dunbar, rare. §. suborbicularis. M-. Dunbar, seldom found per- i shale: fet. - LIGULA. This is a new genus, formed by my friend G. -Montagu, Esq; author of Testacea Britannica. In this genus are brought together several shells . which by other authors were placed in the two ‘genera Mya and Mactra. I think it necessary here to notice, to prevent confusion, that the name Zigula has been already given toa genus of shells very different from these; of which I am of opinion my friend Mr Mon- tagu was not, aware, though I am certain it was the intention of Dr Solander, if he had lived, to have formed this genus. In Monsieur Calonne’s Catalogue of Shells, the genus Ligula is formed from several univalve shelis, taken from the generz it Ad 4 * Tab. wilt. fig. 40 Natural size. 376 | ACCOUNT OF Murex, &c. This alloca was compiled by Mr George Humphrys of Leicester Squate, Lon- don. Montagu defines the characters of Ligula as follow : Animal an Ascidia. Shell bivalve, equivalve. Hinge with a broad tooth in each valve, pro- jecting inwards, furnished with a pit or cavity for the reception of the connecting cartilage. In some species a minute erect tooth. LIGULA. 1. pubescens. M. Portobeilo Sands plentiful ; t P.D. on other parts of the coast rather scarce. Those spe- cimens generally called Mya pubescens, are the fry of the shell denomina-~ ted by Pennant dechvts. A specimen of the size of the one described by him has never occurred to me. Tt is probably a pelagic shell, of a very brittle tex- ture, and not capable of declivis. bearing the agitation of the sea, which, in a de- gree, may account for its not being cast on our shores. N. B. In my cabinet there is still one of the ori- ginal shells, of the Portland Museum, which was a Scottish production. —~ \ NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA. 377 Licura. Q. pretenuis. 3. distorta. 4. Boysii. 5. prismatica. 6. compressa. 7. tenuis. Animal an Ascidia. REE Portobello Sands, scarce. Dunbar. | Portobello Sands, not un- common. These speci- » mens are thicker than those on the _ southern shores. M. New shell found by me on Belton Sands, near Dun- bar; and also on Porto- bello Sands, not uncom- mon. D. M. Shore of Leith. M. Musselburgh, common at times, SOLEN.. Shell bivalve, oblong, open at both ends, furnished with a reflex subulated tooth, often double, not inserted into any groove in the opposite valve. 1. siliqua. t& . ensis. 3. pellucidus. 4. fragilis, M. -P.D.M. Dunbar; and in great plen- ty on the sandy shore of Aberlady Bay. P. D. M. On the same coasts, not un- common. P. D.M. Portobello Sands. At times rather plentiful, and of a large size. phore near Dunbar, scarce. 378 ACCOUNT OF | DOLEN. S. vespertinus, 9M. , | hig A Tellinadepressa. >P. | Not uncommon, Dunbar. Tellina variabilis. Sp a A 6. minutus. M. Common in the roots of Fu- ; _ cus digitatus, and other large fuci. TELLINA. Animal a Tethys. Shell bivalve, generally slo- ping on one side. In the forepart of one valve a convex, of the other, a concave fold. Hinge with usually three teeth; the lateral ones smooth in one shell. | 1, fervensis. M. Dunbar; also very bril- trifasciata. ! D. liant coloured live specie incarnata. P. mens on the sandy shores of Aberlady Bay, not common, 9, squalida. M Dunbar, scarce. sie D. 3. leta. i M. _ Belton Sands, near Dunbar, ineequéstriata. D scarce. 4. donacina. 7 M Dunbar,.rather scarce. trifasciata. t P 5, tenuis. : D.M. Tyningham and Portobeilo sheuaels ee Sands. 6. fabula. D,M. Belton and Portobello Sands, common. » NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA. 379 TELLINA. > 7. solidula. _M. Dunbar and other parts of ae FP. the coast, with all the va- rieties of colour. 8.. proficua. M. Dunbar, rather scarce. Q. carnaria. o::°D.M. Dunbar, very rare. One . small specimen only oc- curred. 10.:'striata. M. Dunbar, very rare. 11. crassa. M. Aberlady Bay, not uncom- rigida. { D. mon. 12. radula. M.. Aberlady Bay, not. uncom- es : mon; and Leith Roads. 13. flexuosa. t M. Portobello Sands, rather » MWenus sinuosa.3 D. scarce. 14. polygona. “M. New shell, taken by the ihe A dredge off Cramond Island, Frith of Forth, rare. 15. Laskeyi.~ M. New shell, Musselburgh bihine Sands, and Aberlady Bay, ! very rare. 16, similis. . Sowerby, Very rare, discovered, with | M. Tellina fabula, on Belton sands, near Dunbar. CARDIUM. Animal a Tethys. — Shell bivalve, nearly equila- teral, equivalve ; generally convex, longitudi- nally ribbed, striated or grooved, with a tooth- ‘ed. margin. Hinge with two teeth, alternate, in the middle, near the beak ; in most incurved ; 2380 ACCOUNT OF and a larger remote lateral one on each side, each eae into on opposite. pens IUM. 1. edule. 2. echinatum. 3. ciliare. 4. aculeatum. 5. discors. 6.. nodosum. 7. rubrum. FP: D. M. Most of the sandy coasts. of the Frith of Forth. .The variety known by the name of the Ross Cockle, is to be met .with near Tyningham Sands .occa- sionally. Pe D. M. Leith Roads and Aberlady Bay. P. D. M. Not uncommon in Aberlady Bay. On examining a great number of these shells, of all sizes, I am convinced C. ciliare is the young of C. ;aculeatum. I am . farther strength- ened in this opinion, by that of my friend G. Montagu, Esq; who has made the same observa- tion. P.D.M. Aberlady Bay, by dredging, scarce. OF the coast of Dunbar, by the dredge, scarce. Belton Sands and Dunbar, rather scarce. Dunbar, found at the roots of a tuft of Corallina offi- cinalis, rare. NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA. 381 CarpDium. 8. exiguum. M. . Musselburgh Sands, scarce. pygmeum. D. | Qg. fasciatum. M. New shell, Dunbar, scarce. 10. spatula. M. New shell, dredged in the Frith of Forth, rare. 11. levigatum. P.M. D. A single dead valve has just been found near Gosford- House, Aberlady Bay. MACTBA. Animal a Tethys. Shell bivalve, unequal sided, equivalve. Middle tooth of the hinge compli- cated, with a small hollow on each side. Late- ral ones remote, and inserted into each other. ke Solidal?:. P.D.M. Portobello Sands, not un- common. . Q. truncata. D.M. Musselburgh Sands, not un- © common. 3. subtruncata. M.P. Portobello Sands. Pennant | has unluckily given this . name to our M. stultorum. 4. lutraria. P.D.M. Tyne and Portobello Sands, and plentifully in Aber- lady Bay. 5. stultorum. D.M. Leith Sands and other parts Tellina radiata. a of the coast, plese at times. 6. tenuis, “ M. Musselburgh Sands, rather scarce. 332 ACCOUNT OF DONAX. Animal a Tethys, Shell bivalve, with generally to a crenulate margin; the anterior margin very — obtuse. Hinge with two teeth, and a single marginal one, placed a little behind, rarely double, triple, or wanting. © . trunculus. P.D.M. Rather common on the | shores of the Frith. . castanea. M. Dunbar, very rare. . plebeia. M. Dunbar, very rare. VENUS. Animal a Tethys. Shell bivalve; the frontal margin flattened, with incumbent lips. Hinge - with three teeth, all of them approximate, the lateral ones, divergent at the tip. . paphia. g M. Belton Sands, and other parts fasciata. D. of the coast, not common. ; ort M.D. Dunbar, scarce. MW. Di: On the rocks at the Nuns’ turboformis. ° M. Island, Sound of Iona. MUREX. Animal a Limax. Shell univalve, spiral, rough with membranaceous sutures. Aperture oval, ending in an entire strait or slightly ascending ~ canal. 408 ACCOUNT OF Murex. 1. antiquus. 2 D.M. Aberlady Bay and Leith. P. despectus. Roads, not uncommon. 9, carinatus *. ig P. D. M. This exceeding rare shell (in l * Tab. vrit. fig. 9. a young state), I met with on the coast near Dunbar: even in this state, it an- swers fully to the more mature shell figured by Donovan. Pennant’s fi- gure is so incorrect, that it can scarcely be made out. This shell ranks as one of the rarest of the British collection, and has been esteemed an unique, till I was fortunate enough te meet with this other speci-_ men. Pennant was the first to figure and describe it, from the Portland ca- binet; at the sale of which, it was purchased for the collection of the celebrated Monsieur Cal- lonne, and went to Paris. On the emigration of that gentleman to England, it again came into the mara ket, and became the pro- perty of Mr G. Humph- Tey . _ rys, Leicester »quare, who NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA. 4or MurEX. 3. purpureus, 4, linearis. 5. muricatus, M M elegans, ? D. M 6, turricnla, M.D 7. sintiosus. Q emarginatus Q. costatus. P; M D 8. rufus. M. D 10. gyrinus *. M ll. gracilis. M. 12. nebula. M. * Tab, viit. fig, 10, has refused a very consi- derable sum for it. The figure, as given by Mr Donovan, is from exact measurement, and I can bear ample justice to its correctness, being well ac- quainted with the shell. A very rare shell, dredged in Leith Roads. Dunbar; sparingly. Dunbar, not common. Dunbar, sparingly, frequent- ly of a pink colour; more common on the sandy shore of Aberlady Bay. Dunbar, very rare; only a solitary specimen has been met with. Dunbar, and the sands near Belhaven. . Dunbar, very scarce. A ew species: Only ia single specimen, in a young state, has been ta- ken from the Frith of Forth. Dunbar, scarce. Dunbar, scarce. cc 4O2 Murex. 13. septangularis. } M. _ septemangulatus, 5 D. 14, tubercularis.° M. 15. adversus. Ms 16. reticulatus, M. | 17. 18, Bamffus. DY. M. 19. accinctus *. M. 20. erinaceus. P. D. M. 21. subulatus. M, 22. proximus. M. a3 fuscatus. Turbo tibercelata: iba re * Tab. VIII. fig. 14. AGCOUNY OF | Dunbar and Tyan Sands, sparingly. Scar ce species. A more rare variety, perfectly white, has been taken off the coast of Dunbar. Very rare, taken with the above. ; oat of the Western Aigh- lands. . This very scarce shell,,.was received with ‘a parcel of shells from Jura. It is not ‘the M. fuscatus of the Lin- nean Transactions ; but is the T. tuberculata of Pen- nant. In a pullus state, not. un- common near Dunbar. Larger specimens are ta- ? kenjby the dredge: in Leith Roads. A few species, dredged in deep water, Frith of Forth, rare. | Very sparingly at Dunbar and Aberlady Bay. _ A new species, Sound of ( Mull, near Scalasdale, rareli perme A new species, rare, on | sands near Dunbar. . . decollatus. P.D.M. This ‘shell is supposed by Montagu to be the fry af M. Pag —_— NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA. 403 TROCHUS. Animal a Limax. Shell univalve, spiral, more or less conic. Aperture somewhat angular or rounded. ‘The upper side transverse and con- _ tracted. Pillar placed obliquely. 1. crassus. M. One specimen of this shell Turbo E ee't D. was taken by the dredge from deep water, off Dun- ; bar. : 2, cinerarius. P.D.M. On all parts of the coast, not uncommon. . umbilicatus. P.D.M. Same as the above. . tumidus. M. From the rejectamenta of a boat at Newhaven; also from a boat at Preston- pans, scarce, © ‘TURBO. Animal a Limax. Shell univalve, spiral, solid. Aperture contracted, orbicular, entire. terebra. P.M.D. Leith and Portobello Sands, common: on the Jast place, a variety perfectly white occurs. This variety I at first considered to be bleached shells; but could gc 2 404 | ACCOUNT OF TuRBo. | not account for their re- maining so sharp and per. fect, until I discovered them after a storm alive. 2. clathrus. P.D.M. Dunbar, sparingly. us 3, clathratulus. Met Dace ; 4. elegantissimus. M. Ditto. 5. littoreus. | 2F. D.M. Common on the rocks on all | | parts of the coast. | G. rudis. : D.M. Not so common as the last, though on many situations they are the only species to be seen, and of a large size. Ne #7, canalis. | M. Not uncommon on the shave | near Dunbar. Adheres to the Fucus vesiculosus and other similar fuci. | 8. eet M. Dunbar, not uncommon, lacteus. 4 D. g. costatus. M. Coast near Dunbar, rare. 10. striatus. M. Dunbar, not common. last 3 M Sands near Belton. This is 11. bryereus | me a variety possessing broad- er and coarser strix, rare. 12. interruptus. D.M. From same situation, com- : mon. 13. subumbilicatus. M. Leith Sands and Dunbar, TAY scarce. 14 ulve. P. D.M. On various parts of the coast, common. NORTH BRITISH TESTACEA. 405 Turzo. 7 15. cingillus. M. Dutibar, sparingly. vittatus. { D. | | 16. subtruncatus. M. : re years ago, a Danish Missionary brought a collection of minerals from West Greenland to Copenhagen; and among these were a number of specimens of a white-coloured fossil, which passed for lamellar heavy-spar. This substance lay un- noticed for some years; until the Danish natura- list Abildgaard, struck with its resemblance to heavy-spar, and its comparatively low specific gravity, determined to analyse it. He found it to. contain alumina, fluoric acid, and a small portion of potash *. Specimens were soon afterwards sent Gs * From its resemblance to ice, xeves, it was named Cry- elite, ; 466 ON CRYOLITE. to Klaproth and Vauquelin, who also found it te contain alumina and fluoric acid; but natron in place of potash. It appears, from the analyses of these consummate chemists, that this remarkable fossil contains from 40 to 47 per cent. of fluoric acid and water; from 32 to 36 per cent. of soda ; and from 21 to 23 per cent. of alumina. Its ex- ternal characters have been given by different na- turalists, but not with sufficient minuteness; and its geognostic relations have hitherto remained un- noticed. ‘Through the politeness of Colonel Im- rie, who presented me with several specimens of this rare mineral, I have been enabled to draw up a description of its external aspect, and to ascer- tain its accompanying minerals ; and from these to infer, with some probability, the kind of reposito- ry in which it occurs. EXTERNAL CHARACTERS. Its colours are greyish-white, and yellowish- grey. : It occurs massive, disseminated, and in cubical pieces. Its internal lustre 1s vitreous; and is shining in one direction, but only glistening in another. Its fracture is imperfect foliated, with a three- fold rectangular cleavage. The fragments are cubical, or tabular. ON CRYOLITE. 464 ‘It occurs in distinct concretions, which are thin and straight lamellar. It is translucent, sometimes inclining to semi- transparent. , Is soft; is scratched by fluor-spar; but it scratches sebcstite It is intermediate, between sectile and brittle. Is easily frangible. Specific gravity 2.949. GEOGNOSTIC RELATIONS. _ It occurs, massive and disseminated, in a mass composed of sparry ironstone, lead-glance, iron- pyrites, and common quartz. ‘The sparry iron- stone is in large and coarse granular distinct con- cretions, and has a yellowish-brown colour inter- nally ; but, externally, is tarnished deep blackish- brown: The lead-glance is minutely dissemina- ted: The iron-pyrites is either disseminated or in small dodecahedrons : and the quartz, which is in very small quantity, is greyish- white, and minute- ly disseminated. The sparry ironstone is the predominant fossil in the different specimens ; the cryolite is in a less proportion ; and the lead-glance, iron-pyrites and © quartz, are in nearly equal quantity, but form a small portion of the mass. As all these minerals are massive or disseminated, never crystallised, if we except the small, and very few crystals of iron- @g2 468 ‘ON CRYOLITE. pyrites, we may conjecture, that they do not occur in open spaces as veins, where there is room for the regular crystallisation, but rather in beds. A more complete suite of specimens, or an examination of the tract itself, where the cryolite occurs, will en- able us to determine the accuracy of the conjecture. we have just stated, which has been deduced from the examination of but few specimens, and possi- bly these may not be very characteristic in a geo- gnostic point of view. { 469 ] a XXIV. On the Veins that occur in the Newest Fletz-trap Formation of East Lo- thian *. | By Dr OcIxsBy. {Read 19th November 1808.] 1 nw a former essay, which I had the honour of presenting to this Society, on the geognosy of East Lothian, I gave a general view of three of the uni- versal formations of minerals which occur in, and form the basis of that county: these are rocks of * The first part of this valuable paper, which treats of | the rocks of the newest trap formation of East Lothian, was returned to the author for revision, but has not again been transmitted to the Society. It will probably ap- pear in the second volume of the Society’s Transactions. & $3 \ AIO ON THE NEWEST FLOETZ-TRAP transition, independent coal, and newest fleetz- trap formation. As two of these formations had. been previously noticed by Professor Jameson, I confined my observations more particularly to the rocks of the trap formation, which I had an oppor- tunity of ascertaining to be superincumbent upon all the other rocks of the extensive district which I examined, and to be situated in an overlying and unconiormable position, immediately upon strata'of the independent coal; from which it is sufficiently manifest, that this class of rocks is the newest, or of posterior formation to all the others, a point upon which the two prevailing geological theories do not disagree. Some important remarks were introduced, rela- tive to the oryctognostical alliances of the diffe- rent members of this series of rocks, the order in which these invariably followed each other, and the variety of interesting transitions to be obser- ved in this portion of the trap formation. I took occasion to mention, that in every instance where there occurred an opportunity of examining the series, and approaching near to the subjacent stra- ta, there was uniformly found, as the lowest or oldest member, a coarse conglomerate rock, con- sisting of fragments of different minerals of ante- yior origin; that this substance graduated into amygdaloid, which, in its turn, either passed at once into basalt, or, in some instances, first through OF EAST LOTHIAN. : 471 elaystone ; and this either into basalt or compact felspar; and these into porphyry-slate, which forms in every case the summits of the obtuse, co- nical, and isolated hills throughout the county. A passage into greenstone was indicated, by inter- posed particles of hornblende observable in the rock, at the top of Traprain and North Berwick Laws, It was also given as a new and corroboratory il- lustration of the Neptunian theory, that in those portions of the trap formation where particular circumstances, existing at the moment of consoli- dation, have given rise to a porphyritical struc- ture of the whole series, similar shades of grada- tion in the felspar crystals, from mechanic to che- mical or crystalline texture, were to be perceived. This very interesting fact, resulted from a minute examination of the successive beds of trap, which begin on the northern bank of the river, near the town of Haddington, and terminate upon the highest point of the Garltons, upon which the sig- nal-post has been erected. Thus, in the bed, which rests immediately upon the trap-tuff, at the Abbey Quarry, and which is both porphyritical and amygdaloidal, the felspar approaches very nearly in its characters to the disintegrated subspecies ; yet, at the same time, has distinctly the prisma- tic form, indicating (if we be allowed to rea- son from well-known chemical phenomena) a di- og 4 ww 472 ON THE NEWEST FLOETZ-TRAPB vision of its parts in the menstruum from which it was deposited, only so far as the line which may be imagined between mechanical suspension and chemical solution; and such a precipitate,. it can easily be conceived, might unite an earthy aspect with 4 considerable degree of crystalline regulari- ty. From this peculiar state of the felspar on the amygdaloidal rock, [ have already observed, that through the superincumbent claystone, basalt and clinkstone, there is a gradual acquisition of lustre, transparency and hardness, passing through com- mon, and ending in glassy felspar, or a variety of adularia, which is undoubtedly a deposition from perfect chemical solution. I had occasion to make — what I conceive to be an important remark in the present state of the science, namely, that much more than one-half of the extensive tract of coun- try which I explored, was covered with that as- semblage of rocks of the flcetz-trap,—a fact which considerably weakens, if not entirely destroys, an objection of the Huttonians against the universa- lity of this formation, from its supposed non-oc-_ currence in this country. It is now not only a fact, that this formation is extensively distributed in this vicinity; but also that a series exists here perfectly analogous to those at the Scheibenberg, upon which the Wernerian theory of aqueous de- penaen was particularly founded. OF EAST LOTHIAN. \ 473 In proposing to lay before the Society, an ac- count of the veins which occur in the trap forma- tion of East Lothian, it was more with the inten- tion of completing the task I had undertaken, than with the expectation of much important result, or any great variety of observation. When it is con- sidered, that the result of the universal formation cannot include veins derived from any of the other great universal formations, this part of my subject must necessarily be very much circum- scribed ; so that, in reality, we cannot expect any of those repositories in this formation, (consider- ing its relative age to be established), but what may be mentioned under the three following heads: 1st, Veins derived from subsequent partial formations, which, however, are of unfrequent oc- currence ; 2d, Veins of the different rocks of the formation, penetrating the older beds; and, 3d, Those of cotemporaneous origin. 3 _ Without deciding at present to which of these classes the veins which occur in the East Lothian trap rocks belong, I shall enumerate the minerals, and then treat of each very briefly. 1. Green- stone; 2. Jaspets; 3. Quartz; 4. Heavy-spar ; 5» Cale-spar. A774 ON THE NEWEST FLOETZ-TRAP GREENSTONE. Two veins of this rock intersect the sandstone strata between North Berwick and Tantallon Castle. One of these veins is small-granular, com- pact, and porphyritic, and twelve or fourteen feet wide; the other is also small-granular, contains a mixture of sand, and is only a few feet in width. Both of these veins pursue a north-easterly direc- tion, and are nearly vertical ; they have numerous veins of calc-spar traversing them. It cannot be easily said, whether these veins are derived from beds of greenstone belonging to the coal-formation, or from the newest deposite of the overlying trap. I am at present more inclined to the former supposition, on account of having ob- served beds of greenstone at Gullon, to the west- ward, conformable with coal strata, and not ha- ving yet observed any distinct greenstone in the newest floetz-trap. . JASPERS, Numerous veins of this substance occur at the Garlton Hills, Pencraik, near Traprain, and other places; it approaches more nearly in characters, ~ OF EAST LOTHIAN. 475 when distinct, to the conchoidal than to the com- mon earthy jasper; the prevalent colour, is a dusky-yellow, with various shades of brown-red, and sometimes black. It is chiefly in those beds of the formation which are intermediate between claystone and porphyry-slate, that I have found these veins to occur; they are in general nearly vertical; and as they descend into the lower beds of the formation, I have observed them to ramify very minutely, and to diminish very much in width,—a fact which is of considerable import- ance, and of which I have numerous examples in hand specimens. _ The collection I have made, shews very plainly the transition of this substance into flint, quartz, calcedony, and into splintery-quartz, approaching © to hornstone. . Some specimens from tke Garltons, shew a pas- sage into an earthy dull substance, very much ap- proaching toa compact claystone, and even indi- stinct crystals, approaching to the earthy felspar, occasionally occur in them. This observation of transition, I find anticipated by Professor Jameson, in the first volume of his System, wherein he mentions the distinct passage of claystone into common jasper. These Jaspers (the geognostical situation of which is now clearly ascertained ) are not of much value for ornamental purpo- ses: though they are susceptible of a good po- 476 ON THE NEWEST FLOETZ-TRAP lish, the colours are neither various nor meson ful. | QUARTZ. Independent of the transition of jasper into this species, I have found small veins of white or grey- ish-white quartz traversing the trap-formation in every part of the county. Where it has room to expand into crystals, as in drusy cavities, it assumes the usual form; and I have observed in some places very regular dodecahedrons, or double six-sided pyramids, adhering to the walls of the cavity by one of the apices. Sah. HEAVY-SPAR. Some veins of this mineral occur at the Garl- tofis; they are of the foliated variety, yellowish and brownish-white, and a few inches in thick- ness ; they intersect the same beds as the veins of _ jasper, and run very nearly in the same direction. The veins I have found at Pencraik, and in other places, are not half an inch wide. OF EAST LOTHIAN. 479 CALC-SPAR. Small veins of this spar are observable in every part of the formation. At North Berwick, they ate found a few inches wide, traversing the trap- tuff. They are yellowish and reddish-white, and the tendency to assume the prismatic form, gives them at the edges a fibrous appearance ; and these fibres are, in all the cases examined, perpendicu- lar to the walls of the vein. When a great num- ber of these veins are exhibited together, the prin- cipal ones have always the same general direc- tion. Owing to the covered state of the country, I have not been able to satisfy myself as to the di- rection, inclination and dip of veins. It may be worth observing, in a controversial or theoretical point of view, the very unfrequent occurrence of veins of these trap-rocks, or what are very improperly called whin-dikes, intersecting the subjacent strata of this county, one-half of which is covered by trap. We should certainly expect, that if this immense mass of trap, or, as it is sometimes called; whin, was erupted from below by an expansive effort, the regu- lar strata of the country would be rent asun- der in all directions, and dikes, interjected beds, 498 NEWEST FLOETZ-TRAP OF EAST LOTHIAN. contortions, dislocations, and indurations, would present themselves at every step. But what is the fact? The arrangement of the strata is per- fectly undisturbed, and not more than three or four dikes are to be seen in the whole country. As to the appearances of the walls of veins, I am enabled to assert with confidence, and exem- plify by specimens, that in the whole of my exa- mination, decomposition and disintegration occur much more frequently than induration or com- pactness. [ 479 ] XXV. On the Coal-formation of Clackma- nanshire. By R. Baxp, Civil Engineer, Alloa. [Read 8th April, and 13th May 1809, and 7th Aprit ° 1810.] SECTION I. 6 he main coal-field of Clackmananshire is si- tuated upon the north-west boundary of the coal- district of Scotland ; and, according to all the trials and observations which have been made, it ap- pears, that no series of thick or workable beds of coal are to be found any where farther west and north of the river Forth, although at the same time it is probable, thin seams of coal, or detached beds, may be yet found in that direction. This coal-field is bounded on the north by that beautiful range of mountains named the Ochils ; 480 ON THE COAL-FORMATION. upon the south by the river Forth, which divides the county from Stirlingshire ; on the west by the Carse of Stirling ; and on the east by strata of the coal-formation, extending through the county of Fife to the river Eden, near St Andrew’s. North of the Ochils no mines of coal have been seen, nor any to the west of the Clackmanan- shire coal-field, north of the Forth. But coal- mines are found in abundance both to the south and east. The Wood Hill of Alva, the property of F james Johnston, Esq; may be considered as the base of the coal-field now to be described: I. Attuvrat Rocks. From the summit of the Wood Hill to the bot- tom of the face, where the Alva House court of offices are built, there is little cover of sort ; there being much naked rock, and small, loose angular stones broken from the hill strata. At the bottom of the face a great bank commences, composed, to a certain depth, of earth and stones, apparently formed from the mountain face; this bank conti- nues southward till it join the recent alluvial ‘soil formed by the river Devon; which soil extends to very near the Devon Iron-works. This alluvial soil is very fertile, and is known in Scotland by the name of Haugh-ground. It is OF CLACK MANANSHIRE. 431 composed of a mixture of fine sand and clay, and adjoining the hill-foot, it is very much mixed with stones. Shells of the mya, or fresh-water mussel, are found in it, and also trunks of oak trees. One of these oaks, of very great size, is to be seen north from the Devon iron-works. The depth of this soil has not been ascertained, as no pits or bores have been put down in the line of section. From the south boundary of the re- cent alluvial soil of the Devon, to the north boundary of the recent alluvial soil of the river Forth, the rock cover is composed of a stiff red coloured clay, commonly known by the name of Till. It does not seem to follow any general rule as to thickness. In this district, the swelling arable ground south of the Ochills is frequently entirely composed of this till; but this is not without exceptions. We have seen it in thickness from one foot to a hundred and sixty-two feet. This uncommon depth or thickness occurred in the rising ground immediately north from the town of Alloa... With respect to the composition of this cover, it appears to be of clay, with sand intimately mix- ed, so as to render it quite impervious to water : With these are mixed great numbers of smal! smooth stones, such as occur in the beds of rivers, and also large smooth boulder-stones, of every co-_ lour, known by the general name of Whinstone. Besides this mixture, there are to be found a great Hh % 482 ON THE COAL-FORMATION many small pieces of splint and rough coal, also sandstone of various shades, particularly white and light-red, varieties of argillaceous schistus, termed Slaes, and pieces of ironstone. In short, there are to be found, mixed with the till, spect- mens of almost all the strata of the adjoining coal- field ; and it 1s somewhat remarkable, that these fragments are in general quite sharp in the angles, and very little worn. In piercing through this cover, few or no sand- beds occur ; and the only change perceptible from the Devon ee soil to the alluvial soil of the _ Forth, in the line of section, is in the Meadow Hill, and in the two fields adjoining. In the park north of it, there is a quantity of peat-earth near the sur- face ; and in the Meadow Hill, besides the till, are water-gravel and beds of sand. ‘The Meadow Park is composed of about six feet of loose peat soil, un- der which is a bed of clean gravel, composed of such stones as are found in brooks immediately adjoin- ing the Ochill Hills. And there is a deep, strong and plastic clay adjoining Brathy Burn. In this immense bed of till, we have never found the remains of trees, or of any organised bo- dy ; which seems remarkable. Where this till was cut through to the great depth of 16a feet, as before mentioned, the lower six inches of it, which rested upon the coal strata, was quite different from all which was above it ; it appeared to have been deposited from water in OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. 483 the most quiescent state, as it was divided into the finest laminz, not thicker than imperial pa- per; and when a thick piece was taken up, these: laminz could be separated and turned over like the leaves of a book ; and their tenacity and flexi- bility was considerable, being very much similar to fine bread paste, rolled out very thin. ‘This was the only instance we have seen of this sort of clay. After it was dried for about fourteen days, it: grew very hard ; and when thrown into the fire, decrepitated with much noise. The till, when brought to the surface, is very sterile, and remains long exposed before any plants strike upon it; the common thistle is the first which appears. From the south boundary of the till cover, the recent alluvial soil of the Forth commences, and continues in the: line of section 3720 yards, when it joins the Forth. It is nearly level; part of it is even under high-water mark, and is secured from being overflowed by embankments. Upon an average, it declines from the horizon at an angle of only 15 minutes. This alluvial soil is com- monly known by the name of Curse ; it is compo- sed of clay and a mixture of fine sand, being fit for making bricks and tiles. In general, a few feet below the surface, an inferior clay is found, mixed with light red-coloured clay-pipes, which 4re probably formed by insects. Below this it is found of a softer consistence, with apparently more sand, and of a dark-blue colour, commonly Hh 2 : 484 ON THE COAL-FORMATION known by the name of silt or sleech, that is, sludge. . This soil varies in depth, being from a few feet to. nearly 100 feet. About a mile west from the harbour of Alloa, a bore was put down near 90 feet ere it reached the rock ; and so soft was this. silt, that we accomplished two of these bores in one day. It is to be remarked, however, that the surface above this silt is as good, firm, arable land as any in the district. A great extent of this rich carse has been formed on both sides of the ri- ver, and is of great value. There are few or no stones mixed with this soil; but adjoining the till-district large round blocks of greenstone are found at the surface, which are far detached from any great mass or bed of this kind of rock. Below this soil, and close to the rock strata, we in general find a stratum composed of sand mixed with sea-shells ; and the most common kinds of these shells are as follows: Ostrea edulis, - Common oyster. Mytilus edulis, - mussel. Cardium edule, - cockle. ‘Turbo littoreus, - buckie. Donax trunculus. Patella vulgata, limpet. Of these, the ostrez are large, and to appearance have been of great age when deposited in their ‘present bed, as some of them are more than half OF CLACKMANANSHIRE.. 48s an inch thick, and composed of numerous thin la- mine. The mytili are in general quité soft and friable, and they cannot be taken from their place in general without breaking. | Some time ago, the shell of a commen crab was found in the clay near Alloa, when digging an arc for a mill-wheel; and near the same place, entire stags horns and broken pieces have been - found; and it is common to find large pieces of oak trees, quite fresh, though of a very dark co- lour. “ These are the particulats which have occurred to me respecting the alluvial rocks or soil that rest on the coal formation, which we are next te describe. SECTION If. COAL FORMATION. Havinc in the preceding section treated of the alluvial soil which covers the strata of Clackma- nan, we shall now give a general description of the strata, the beds of coal, and the great slips which occur in this district. : We have but few opportunities of examining that part of the strata which is next the earth co- Hh 3 486 ON THE COAL-FORMATION ver, excepting in the quarries which have been opened, and pits which have been sunk: from these, however, we have this general remark to make: ‘That the corners of the strata, under the carse soil, are very much rounded, and apparent- ly water-worn. Under the till or coarse clay, the corners are much more acute, and the strata are cut off, or meet the clay-cover with abrupt faces or steps, which are always formed by a natural crack or fissure, termed by miners a back or cutter, nearly at right angles to the line of dip. The coal-formation, or main coal-field of the - county, is divided into three distinct fields, form- ed by two great slips, termed the Great South Slip. and Great North Slip ; and the fields are named the North Field, the Mid Field, and South Field, upon all of which great and extensive collieries have been erected. | In the following general description, we must begin about the middle of the North Field, and proceed southward to the Forth; because that part of the North Field betwixt the Devon works and the Ochill mountains, not having been explo- red with sufficient accuracy, we can only offer some ideas regarding it, assumed upon rational principles. The strata having been ascertained as far north as that part of the country where the Devon Iron- works are built, we begin at that point. Towards the crop of the strata, the dip is at an angle of OF CLACKMANANSHIRE, 437 6°, or nearly ‘1 in 9; farther a dipping, the angle is 10°, or nearly 7 in 6. The strata which are found alternating with the coal in the three fields, are, Red-coloured sandstone, from friable to very hard. Common sandstone, dark-grey colour to nearly a pure white ; from a soft and friable state to very hard. | Dark-coloured varieties of slate-clay. Varieties of red-coloured slate-clay. Bands and balls of clay-ironstone. Bituminous shale, comparatively in small pro- portion. — The workable seams of coal found in the North Field are as follows: Neds. Bt. In. To the first coal is in depth Aeon: Ge te A. A coal, . - Oo Qonte-O Various strata, - Eisid * 0 B. A coal, je as 7" G ip eee6 - > Various strata, - eo are C. A coal, ame “ fo Sinise Hae | - Various strata, - $3 CO io D. A coal, an : Ol", ae Various strata, _ . Qiien ie ao MEMOS sili 4gnd) x | Ovni h eo Various strata, : | - D234 OF . ohveApeoal 2 - - Ob aoe Hh, | 488 ON THE COAL-FORMATION Yds. Ft. In. Various strata, - 22). Qiao G. A coal, a" ee Various strata, - | 66. | -@ ee H. A coal, - . Ox heehee Various strata, ~ 10. Qh I. A coal, - - Aika 0 Various strata, i EB ve Dvlig® K. A coal, - - 2.) ge Various strata, - 28 iii a L. ,A.coal, rr. - Qj jou! 0 236. yee Coals *, ’ - - O° 46°" '@ | | | The measures are reckoned from the pavement of one coal to the pavement of the next; and the distances are nearly the average, taken at different places of the field. * There are other thin seams, which at present are reckoned unworkable, being under thirty inches thick ; but this is an indefinite term, as the thickness of coals reckoned workable, is regulated in precise proportion to the scarcity of fuel in that district of country where coal is wrought. For example, under peculiar circumstances, we have seen a coal wrought of only six inches thick. The seams of coal in Clackmananshire being numerous, and many of these above three feet thick, the lesser seams are at present of no value, and quite disregarded. When the individual strata are treated of, these seams will be taken notice of. OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. 489 The coal L. is the lowest which has been wrought in the main coal field. The peculiar character of each seam will be afterwards taken notice of. i Each of these coals continues to rise from the dip southward, till it meets the earthy cover or clay, excepting the seams I. K. L. These three coals are cut off by the Great North Slip. - The Great North Slip, from the few points where we have had an opportunity of examining it be- low ground, makes an angle with the horizon of 60°; it forms a fissure in the strata, varying in width from four inches to nearly four feet. This fissure is filled compactly with pieces of sand- stone, slate-clay, and clay ironstone; in short, with a mixture of all the adjoining strata. The sides of the fissure are commonly pretty smooth, and in some places have a glossy or polished surface. Immediately south, and close to the north slip, the Mid Coal Field commences, and the coals dip at an angle of about 10°, or nearly 1 in 6. Ydsi:i Fe. dn: To the first coal, isin depth, - 26 0 o A. A coal, - - oN eae ire!’ Various strata, ~ 18 -@..¢@ - B. A coal, - - O(a Various strata, > 12), ees C. A coal, ~ - ome Various strata, * 2 a8 490 ON THE COAL-FORMATION Yds. Fe. In. D. A coal, higgt | - o 1a Various strata, ohh 9 isi ey i) E. Acoal, - - 0 hapa Various strata, apa 91 AONE 0 Fy Arcoal; - = O:)} rap Wid Various strata, vis BQ h HO yh fO G. A coal, - = O16 7iQsiyso Various strata, _ { B6y53 @reL0 H. A coal, _ - Oo o0§ihee Various strata, - 2 Ebvier® wae {. Ca ess Feeisa io The coals also rise from the dip, or from the Great North Slip, southward till they successively meet the clay or alluvial covering. All the coals of this field, from A. to G. inclusive, were wrought long ago, and are now full of water; but the po- sition of these coals and strata are ascertained, by .examining the crop of the coals, and from the report of the oldest colliers who live in the di- strict. Below the coal L. no very accurate borings have been made; and of this we are certain, that pn | OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. | 4gt good thick seams of coal have been found lower, but that there are many thin coals is evident, as we see them cropping a little west from the line of section where the alluvial soil of the Forth commences. The sonth field of coal sping a little vibes the river Black Devon, immediately south of the Great South Slip, which slip is similar to the. Great North Slip. The coals dip at 11°, or nearly I in 5. Immediately under the see or alluvial cover there is Xds.;, Bt. In. A coal, - : : G4 430 Various strata, - 6) Chae Ob 2 A coal, - i's site Chis Bree Various strata, - Ji, Qa oO E. A coal, ~ _ oI Various strata, - 53° cPriee G. A coal, - - 2 nt Deveee Various strata, a DD) iii Bex AO A coal, - - ra edie ane Various strata, “= 60...) Odie Hy ok coal, - 2 O hee oS . Various strata, - Bic) Ue eye Ei -Ancoal, - - Our 2% 40 Various strata, o EG, MO ae K. A coal, - rhe :. seeaiiatie I93 © ‘90 Coals, “ . 34 2 & ©& & 402 ON THE COAL-FORMATION No accurate borings have been made aries the last coal K. ‘As At about 426 yards southward from’ hone crop of this coal, a reverse dip of the strata takes place; but the angle it makes with the horizon has not been ascertained, This reverse, or south dip con- tinues across the river Forth, and we find that the strata at the Dunmore Colliery, on the other side of the river, correspond with this new inclination. The bearing of this new dip crosses the line of section in an oblique direction, but as there is no visible alteration to be observed at the surface of the ground, we have not yet been able to deter- mine, whether this alteration in the dip is produ- ced by a slip or dike, or simply by the inflection of the strata, termed by miners a Saddle. We now return to the north point, at the De- von Iron-works, where we began the general de- scription of the strata. ‘There, we have every reason to suppose, that the coals before mentioned continue to dip northward, because we see evident- ly, that the crops of the strata cross the Devon river towards the hills, with a bold sweep both to the west and east of the line of section. The cover of earth being deep at the bottom | of the Woodhill face, and no operations having been carried on in coal-mining there, we cannot exactly state how the coal-strata dip at that pre- cise spot ; but we have every reason to conclude, that they are laid upon the hill face at an angle of. OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. | 493 40° with the horizon, and parallel with the hill face, as we find them nearly in that position; but making a greater angle at the Silver Burn Glen, upon the west side of the hill, and in the Wester- town Glen on the east side of the hill. Both these glens present a most interesting display of the strata, the water having cut down the several beds of stone, and brought to view the precise junction . of the coal-formation with the Ochill hills. These mountains, I conclude, belong to those termed Transition according to the celebrated Werner ; and the relative position and importance of these rocks in mineralogy, have been ably illustrated by Professor Jameson in his different works. SECTION III. OF THE COAL-FORMATION IN THE NORTH COAL-FIELD. WeE have now to describe the strata which have been perforated in sinking pits in the Main Coal Field of Clackmananshire. A point immediately adjoining the Devon Iron- works, on the North Coal Field, is pitched upon, as being the place where the strata have been ac- 494 ON THE COAL-FORMATION curately ascertained, and that to a greater depth than in any other place of the county. | | In order to give a clear and distinct view of the structure and materials of the district, the follow- ing section has been drawn up in the tabular form. All the various strata are precisely laid down from actual measurement, and in their natu- ral order. On the right hand side are columns of fathoms, feet and inches, shewing the thick- ness of each individual stratum. There are also two columns, containing the common provincial names of each, with the corresponding systematic or Wernerian names. The whole depth is 117 fathoms two feet, equal to 704 feet, the fathom containing six feet English measure. ‘The alternating strata are 141 in num- ber. Below No. 141. no accurate borings have ever been made, upon which any confidence can be placed. In the section are 24 seams or beds of ‘coal, from two inches to nine feet in thickness, the whole of which, when added together, amount to 59 feet 4 inches of coal. These coals are either slate-coal, or cubical coal; a few of them are altogether slate-coal, but | generally they are ei ee of a mixture of both kinds. ‘With respect to aidan they are all of the open burning kind, having little or no tendency OF CLACKMANANSHIRE, 495 to cake; and none of the blind or glance-coal is found amongst those now enumerated. To shew in a still clearer point of view the kinds of strata mentioned in the section, I have herewith sent specimens of the whole, which have been collected upon the spot. 496 ON THE COAL-FORMATION | SECTION OF THE STRATA Of the Main Coal-Field of the County of Clackma- nan, extending to the depth of 704 Feet. be Ww v e ‘|e |Provincial Names.| Wernerian Names. g rat w | 1| Earth or soil, - {Earth or soil, - Oo} 4} 0 2} Red post-stone, Red sandstone, - |rz| 2] 4 3| Soft blaes, - Slate-clay, - 01 41 9 4|TIronstone band, Ironstone bed, 0} Oo] 3 5| Blaes with grey Slate-clay, with slaty faikes, ° sandstone, - 2 6| Coad, - Cabical coal, - 6 7|Pavement-metal and|Indurated clay and grey post, - grey sandstone, - | 0| 4] o 8| Hard white post, - | Hard white sandstone,|o| 5| 2 9| Grey post, - Grey sandstone, - | 0| 4) 4 10} Blaes, > Slate-clay, - 1] O] 5 11 | Coal, - Cubical coal, - o| £1 8 (12|Pavement-metal, - |Indurated clay, - o| Zio 13| Blaes with iron balls | Slate-clay, with iron- stone balls, a 21 310 14! Strong grey faikes, | Grey slaty sandstone,| 2| °| 3 15 | Coal, = Cubical coal, - o' 210 li MOwowooadnodad7 OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. 497 1.8 | Provincial Names. | Wernerian Names. \3 rd Z im |S 16|Pavement-metal, - |Indurated clay, OW 2 |i'5 17| Hard white post, - | Hard white sandstone] I| 3] 3 18} Grey faikes, . Grey slaty sandstone,| I| 0} o 19| Black bands, with i-| Black slate-clay with ron-stone, - iron-stone, - EVG1'4 20|Hard grey-stone, - | Hard grey sandstone, | 1j 3| 4 21) Coad, “ Cubical coal, u OO] o| 2 22 | Bandswith iron-stone, | Slate-clay with iron- stone, : r1 3| 8 23 | Coal, _ Cubical coal, “ 0] 316 24 Grey metal, - Indurated clay, 1} 4] o} 25\Ironstone band, - Ironstone beds, Oo] Oo} 3 26) Strong grey faikes, |Grey slaty-sandstone,| 2) o| o 27| Hard white post, - |Hard white sandstone} 4| 5| 0 2S | Blaes, J Slate-clay,- - Ti ole 29 | Grey faikes, > Grey slaty sandstone,| 1| 0] 0 30 | Hard grey metal, with | Indurated clay, with faikes, - slaty sandstone, 1] 3 31| Blaes, - Slate-clay, s a} a 32 | Coad, - Cubical coal, - -- oO} 3 33|Pavement-metal, - |Indurated clay, Ol z $4)Hard grey-stone, - | Hard grey sandstone, | 0! 5 35 | Grey-stone, - Grey sandstone, 2) 0 36| Ring-stone post, - | White sandstone, o}'2 Meg 0032 Slate clay, f oo 88 | Coal-splint, - Slate-coal, \ Oa 39|}Pavement-metal, - |Indurated clay, °| 0 40 | Coa/, a Cubical coal, & el 3 41|Grey metal, - Grey sandstone with : clay, - a 34 42|Grey-stone,withiron-|Grey sandstone with; | stone, - ironstone, - OO} 41 7 43 | Coal, fi Soe Cubical coal,\ > \- CO) 2400 44 | Black-band, 4 Dark indurated clay, | o| o| 2: 45 | Coal,, ef Cubical coal, bes LAR EN hg 46 | Grey post, - Grey sandstone, 1] 2\t0 47|Hard red-stone, - |Hard red sandstone, | 0| 1}.6 strong grey post, Coal, - Pavement-metal, - Hard white post, - Gogg, - Pavement-metal, - Grey faikes, - | Coad, - Soft grey metal, - White post, - Blaes, with ironstones Black-stone, with i- “| ron-stone and par- rot blae, ~ Coal, splint and rough Pavement-metal, - Grey post striped, Blaes, = Coal, - Pavement-metal, — - Red blaes, ~ - foul coal, - Pavement-metal, - White stone, - Grey faikes, - White stone, - Blaes, - Goal, with a. rib of stone 1n it, - | Pavement-metal, - i Red stone, - > | Provincial Names. Wernerian Names. Grey sandstone, ° Cubical coal, » = Indurated clay, - Hard white sandstone | | Cubical coal, A Indurated clay, Grey slaty sandstone, Cubical coal, = Indurated clay, - White sandstone, Slate-clay, with iron- stone beds, Dark slate-clay, with iron-stone and bi- tuminous shale, Slate and cubical coal Indurated clay, - Grey sandstone stri- ped, - Slate clay, - Cubical coal, ms Indurated clay, = Red slate-clay, - Coal mixed with stone, Indurated clay, - White sandstcne, Grey slaty sandstone, White sandstone, Slate-clay, “< Coal with a bed of dark clay sand. stone, - Indurated clay, - Red sandstone, - | Red stone, hard as flint | Hard red sandstone, | Blaes, with ironstone, | Slate-clay with iron- eoer ane od = | Uathey i ec 0O000 GOOF Om 006 hm HD ww Om DY wD bA Dp mw {ie | . fs OO COMm Daw SB OF’ CO OO. an OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. ¢ ; aye ie 1:8 | Provincial Names. | Wernerian Names. a 78 | Coal, of ele Cubical coal, - O 79|Pavement-metal, - |Indurated clay, - fo) - 80| Grey faikes, - Grey slaty sandstone, | 2 - $1] Grey stone, with hard} Grey sandstone, with | | » TP | bands, ee hard strata,, - fe) ~82|White stone, with | Whitesandstone, with veins of coal, - veins of coal, - I 83 | Red blaes, - Red slate-clay, - | 2 84|}Red stone, with a|Red sandstone, with band desperately | a very hard bed, iT. Vv nard, - - = I 85 | Red blaes, - Red slate-clay, - 11. “86/Coal, -— « : Cubical coal, “ fe 87 {Striped white stone, | White sandstone stri- ed, - fe) 88 | Blaes, - Slate-clay, - ° ‘89|Pavement-metal, -_ |Indursted clay, - | gO | White stone, “ White sandstone, ° Q1 | Blaes, 2 Slate. clay, Z ite, -92|Dogger bands, - {Coarse iron stonestra ta, 0 93 | Blaes, - - | Slate-clay, ; fo 94|Pavement-metal, - j{Indurated clay, - i 95 | Black blaes, with coa/,| Dark slate- clay, with | coal, 9 ~Q6 | Blaes, - —_ |Slate- clay, - a) 97| White stone faikes, | White slaty sandstone! o 98 | Grey faikes, : Grey slaty sandstone, | o 99) Blaes, s: Slate-clay,. - ° 100 | Coal, 4 Cubical coal, . O° 10] Pavement- metal, -/ |Indurated clay, - r 102 Grey faikes, - Grey slaty sandstone, | 3 103) White stone, - White sandstone, 3 104 | Coal, rough and splint | Cubical and slate coun 6 105 Blaes with bands, Slate-clay, with beds | of sandstone, IY 106| Black blae, a | Dark slate-clay, - | 0 A ok bd 499 > GG g || ie re Oe, O 4| roll BHD 54.5 Iiro t} 7 4| 9 21 9 I ie olr I A I I Oey E06 Lio7 21-3 4h I{zo 1 ‘o) Ps ri $§ alg ij 3 3). 4 2| 0c t To, Hard white stone, ‘|Blaes with bands, - Coa! splint, Bs Pavement-metal, - Hard blae, - ~|Hard white stone, otrong blae, 3 il4| White stone, - 11.5] iiard white stone, 116] Blaes, - 117 | slaes with coal scours 118} Pavement-metal, - iQ | Hand rigs." - 120 | Blaes, - 121| Hard White stone, ig2}| Hard blae, - 125| White stone, s Grey Stone, - Blaes, = }| Grey stone, - Blaes, - 128] Grey stone, - | Blaes, - Hard white stone, Hard hard white stone and blaes, e 132 | Hard white stone, 133 | Blaes with bands, Coal, - Blaes, Provincial Names. | Wernerian Names. Blate-clayy ( vv O oN OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. “ROT & | Provincial Names.| Wernerian Names.| 3 Z | es 130| Coad, hae | Gubical-coal & slate. coal, 37 | Pavement-metal, Indurated Be ts ite, 58| Hard grey stone, Hard grey sandstone. } o 139 | Blaes with white stone Slate-clay, with white; — bands, 5 sandstone beds, _ I 140| Grey stone, Grey sandstone, - O 141] Blaes with bands, Slate-clay, with beds of sandstone, Orb 4 Fathoms, {117 | 2 eee In the middle and south fields, the strata can- not be accurately ascertained to the same depth ; but, before concluding the account of this coal di- strict, we shall coilect all the facts relative to the | stratification of these, that we may compare what analogy there may be in the arrangement of the various minerals inthe three different fields form- . ed by the two Great Slips. The strata of the section lie in the most regu- lar order, almost similar to the leaves of a book, excepting when they are deranged with (what is termed by miners) troubles, viz. dikes, slips and. hitches; but of these, and the yariations of thick- Ril 3 b 502 ON, THE G€OAL-FORMATION ~ness of the-same- - individual strata, We pai’ ok afterwards. dS AVILA CR PAST 0 Ww ith respect to the organic remains generally - found in coal strata, abundance of them are found | | in the Clackmananshire coal-field... Those which | occur in the earth cover’ or alluvial soil have al-— ready been noticed. ae In the strata.a great many var rieties of the ‘im: pressions of vegetables and. of shells are found. The slate-clay.abounds with delicate impressions of moss plants, ferns, and reeds. ‘The indurated clay, with impressions of large plants, the form of which can only be indistinctly traced. ‘The iron- stone abounds chiefly with petrified mussels, with a few of the jointed reed species. The sandstone, and in particular what is near a bed of coal, has in general great numbers of the jointed reeds in it, fully formed, that is, of their natural shape, only a little compressed ; and the interior of these is commonly covered with coal. wy It is remarkable, that in no instance have we found petrified shells in the sandstone strata of Clackmananshire ; and in the slate-clay, petrified shells are always composed of ironstone, of whi¢h the slate-clay is the matrix or bed. Many of ‘the ironstones are very full of petrified mussels, and some of them seem to be a-complete congeries of shells. The immediate roof of the coal is fre- © OF CLACKMANANSHIRE. 503 - quently covered with impressions of large trees, which, from their singular appearance, are mee by the miners plough-furrows. | Among the vegetable impressions, a great many belong to the class Cryptogamia; but the order or genera are not easily ascertained. It would require a very expert botanist to arrange them systematically. Many of the plants are not indigenous to Great Britain; nay, many of them are not so even to Europe. Among the speci- mens sent, those of the reed, Arundo, and palm- trees, are peculiar to tropical climates. These facts give rise to many theories respecting the formation and vast changes which have taken place in our globe. Of the mussels, no recent specimens are now to be found in the district; they are similar to the fresh-water mussel, Mytilus anatinus, but they are less than those now found in the district. Of these organic remains, I have sent specimens of such of the varieties which have come within my observation, _ The stratification of the coal-field immediately adjoining the Ochill Hills will be described in a ure communication. Il4 E 504 J AXVI. On the Gaseous Comghan ean of Hydrogen and Carbon. By Tuomas Tuomson, M.D. F.R.S. E. [Read 21st Fuly 1810. ] Tue gases formerly distinguished by the name of beavy inflammable airs, which are evolved du- ring the distillation of most animal and vegetable substances, differ so much from each other in their properties, that it has been hitherto impossible to reduce them under a small number of species. When burnt, they all yield carbonic acid and wa- ter, and of course contain carbon and hydrogen ; but the proportion of these bodies formed, and of | oxygen consumed during the combustion, varies very much at different times. Many of these gases have been examined with much address by Cruickshanks, Dalton, and Henry. Berthollet al- HYDROGEN AND CARBON. ' 5cs » so has examined them at different times, and pu- blished very ingenious dissertations on their com- position. ) , From a great many experiments on these gases, at different times, and in different states, I have “convinced myself that they usually hold an empy- reumatic oil in solution, and that the differences in their specific gravity, and other properties, de- pend very much upon the proportion of oil pre- sent. Hence’no pure gases, fit for examination, and comparable with each other, can be obtained from those vegetable or animal substances which yield an oil when subjected to heat, as is the case with most of them. ‘To this oil is to be ascribed the greatyvariation in the specific gravity of the gas obtained by distilling pit-coal, as shewn by the experiments of Dr Henry. | " When water and carbon are present together, as is the case in most animal and vegetable substan- ces, they act on each other, and give origin to va- riable quantities of carbonic oxide, which must also very much alter the properties of the gas evolved. To these two causes, namely, the oil dissolved, and the carbonic oxide formed, most, if not all the varieties in the combustible gases, ob- tained from animal and vegetable substances, are owing. | Berthollet, in a dissertation which he lately pu- blished, in the second volume of the Mémoires a’ Arcueu, has endeavoured to prove that all the 506 "i ON CARBURETED heavy inflammable gases contain oxygen as a con- _ stituent. He has examined a number of gases ob- tained by distilling charcoal, and has shewn, that each of them contained a considerable proportion of oxygen. This opinion has likewise been main- tained by Mr Murray, in his System of Chemi- — stry. | Pe dat If any confidence can be put in the preceding observations, it is clear, that this obscure subject ~ can never be elucidated by examining gases from charcoal, or from animal and vegetable substances.- The first will always yield carbonic oxide as well as carbureted hydrogen, and the gas from the other bodies will be disguised by the oil held by it in solution. ie Analogy is strongly in favour of the common opinion, that there exists a gas composed simply of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrogen, we know, is capable of dissolving every other simple combu- stible, sulphur, phosphorus, and boracium. It dis- solves likewise several of the metals, as arsenic, zinc, tellurium, and potassium. Why then may it not be capable of dissolving carbon ? There is a gas which rises in considerable quan- tity from stagnant waters during the summer sea- son. It was examined by Cruickshanks and Dal- ton, and both of them concluded it to be a com- pound of carbon and hydrogen, without any sen- sible quantity of oxygen. But as neither of these — gentlemen has published a detailed account of HYDROGEN:GAS® 504 their expeziments, I thought it worth while to examine the gas anew, in order, if possible, to de- termine the point in a satisfactory manner. I ac- cordingly collected considerable quantities of it at different times in the neighbourhood of Restalrig, where ponds of muddy water are left stagnant, in order to collect manure. ‘This gas i found to have ~ the following properties. rt. It 'is colourless, and transparent like air. | 2. It has no smell, and no sensible taste, provi- ded it be previously washed in clean water. 3. It always contained a mixture of carbonic acid. The least quantity of this gas present was 5 per cent. ; the greatest 7} per cent. 4: It always contained a mixture of common air. It is remarkable, that the proportion present was.in every case the same, and amounted to 12.5 per cent., or 2.5 per cent. of oxygen and Io per cent. of azote. Mr Dalton says, that the gas which he examined contained 20 per cent. of azote. This was never the case with the gas from - Restalrig ; but the common air and carbonic acid gas together sometimes amounted to 20 per cent., and always to near that quantity. s. After depriving it of its carbonic acid, J found its specific gravity 0.611, that of air being - 1.000. - But as it contained a mixture of 12.5 per cent. of air, it would have been obviously lighter, if this portion had been removed. By calculation 508 ON CARBURETED I find, that the specific gravity! of they whi gas would have been 0.5554 *. OR My method of taking the ania itagite of gases being extremely simple, yet precise, 1 think it worth while to describe it in this’place. It is founded on the well-known fact, that when two gases are mixed, their bulk does notvalter, I have a large flask fitted with a stop-cock. I weigh this flask very-accurately, then exhaust it, and weigh it again. Let the loss of weight be a. I then fill the flask with the gas whose specific gravity I want, and weigh it again. If the weight of the flask be the same as at first, it is obvious that the gas has exactly the specific gravity of common air. If it be heavier than at first, the gas is heavier than common air ; if lighter, the gas is lighter than common air. , Suppose the flask lighter than at first, | add weights till the flask is exactly poised. Let the weight added be 6. We have the weight of common air to that of the gasasatoa—b. And to find the specific gravity, we have this propor- tion, a:a—b::1:x = specific gravity wanted, a—b OF X == Shoe If the flask is heavier than at first, * Let x= the specific gravity of the pure gas, A= the quantity of air in the mixture, a= the specific gravity of air, B= quantity of pure gas present, c= spect- : Jc—A fic gravity of the mixture, we have x = a) HYDROGEN GAS, 309 weights are added to the other scale, till it.1s ex- saeiye poised; dlet, whee weights, as before, be 8, we have in cre case es indi In this process no correction is necessary for temperature, nor the state of the barometer ; because air and all gases undergo the same change of bulk, by changing the temperature and the pressure. The gas is al- ways weighed, saturated with moisture. jae is corrected when requisite by the table of Dalton. - In this way the flask may be easily weighed, true _to the —t.dth part of a grain; so that you are al- ways sure of the specific gravity of the gas, to the 3d decimal figure. The specific gravity of com- mon air is always taken 1.000, and at the tempe- rature of 60°, barometer at 30 inches; 100 cubic inches of it weigh 30.5 grains. These data enable us to determine the weight of 100 cubic inches of any gas whose specific gravity is known. Mr Dalton found the specific gravity of this gas 0.600. I took its specific gravity more than once, and col-. lected at different times, but never found it hea- vier than. 0.5554. 7 6. The gas from stagnant water burns with a | yellow flame, more readily, and with a larger flame, than any other combustible gas, except ole- flant gas, and the vapour of ether. 7. When mixed with oxygen gas, and kindled by an electric spark, it detonates loudly, and undergoes a considerabie diminution of bulk, Its 510 ON CARBURETED combustibility by this process is eonitiied’ ‘within very narrow limits. It does not’ burn unless the bulk of the oxygen rather exceeds its own bulk, and it ceases to burn when the oxygen gas is more than 25 times the bulk of the inflammable gas, The limits of combustion, according to my trials, are roo measures of inflammable gas, and 105 or 227 measures of oxygen gas. A mixture of r00 measures of inflammable gas, with 282 or 292 mea- sures of oxygen gas does not burn. i ik 8. A good many experiments on the com- bustion of this gas with oxygen by electrici- ty, give the following general result : 100. mea- sures of the inflammable gas consume 205 mea- sures of oxygen gas, and 104 measures of car- bonic acid gas are formed. This result very near- ly agrees with the experiments of Mr Dalton, who found, as I have been informed by Dr Hen ry, that roo measures of this gas require for com- bustion 200 measures of oxygen gas, and form 100 measures of carbonic acid. The following ble contains a few of the experiments which I made upon this’ gas. The others were precisely of the same kind, and coincided’ with’ these as’ nearly as possible. The oxygen gas used contained 12 per cent, of. azote. It had been prepared from hyperoxymu- riate of potash, and, when recent, contained only’ 1 per cent. of azote. It had been kept above a‘: year in a crvstal bottle well stopped ; but had been’ HYDROGEN GAS. Sir often opened, and portions of it used during the interval. The bottle was now half-full of water. The purity of this gas was tried just at the time of making the following experiments, by exposing it to hydroguretted sulphuret of lime in the usual way. The nitrous gas employed contained, by the test of sulphate of iron, 11.5 per cent. of azote. The inflammable gas had been freed from carbo- nic acid, but it contained 13.5 per cent. of com- ‘mon air. Cet Cet yaa os ' Sore, - gylhas ° @ Oo wo ow O| a Me ee Wn ig Cag n TG fa or Bee ite te ere 1 Ble Ole le c o io) “nm 4 O Se a § 52 WS} . Bs > | ¢ o 8 a Heol VIM E & Ola otiwvWVi wat . SS ef SSIS Ss ees eis fo Vie sla a aa | emma Ty De aie is ea W Lem ae a | pct fa B= de Sea ol(sumb oti ae (mia (ae oe ep hi eRa iat 9 2a) 24 9 12s 60 20 $5 ce ee ee ee ed esecomen a eee Oe Pes 4a fo '38 88 42 | 8 25 BR4 BF. 8.5 39 32 10 ee ee | — eS ao Pb 35 Does not burn. O°. O Burns, 4 4 fi From this table, and our knowledge of the con- stituents of the gases used, it is easy to deduce the following : 512 ON CARBURETED a a Te a aT ae mee oe Fee e , a : t¥ The GaSES MIXED. és | | ComPpostrion oF 2 eligi Resipur, Purein-| ac he "" flamm BX BIEN VITA! ae . ae Sey ego" ‘Bs ble gas: S = Py zote.| Oxygen. | 21.6 22 9 8.7 ‘ 3 2 21.6 23 | 17 9-9 i 3] 17-3 | 4 2.16 ) 5 21.6 | 44.4 8.9 a5 6) 34-6 | 3r.9/ 8-5} 75 (7! 34-6 | 36.3'9-1 80 Of these experiments, the 1st, 2d and sth are the only ones from which the proportion of oxy- gen consumed, and of carbonic acid formed, can be deduced. They were repeated very often, in or- der to insure as much accuracy as possible. The following is the result which hand give: | Inflammable |Oxygen gas| Carbonic acid! gas consumed.| consumed. | gas formed. SA PR BB MT MHS es. Se | a es sok aah = sigh haan = aaa ile tae soak 5 OP esc | og PO iy clas, & eae ee avernenen ico 205 104 aver. per cent. - ON HYDROGEN, pie g: From these experiments it is easy to deduce the composition of this inflammable gas. Its spe- cific gravity being 0.555, 100 cubic inches of it, at the temperature of 60%, and when the barometer stands at 30 inches, will weigh 16.93 grains. . Of the 205 cubic inches of oxygen gas consu- med, 104 go to the formation of carbonic acid gas; the remaining ror cubic inches must have combined with hydrogen during the combustion, and formed water. Hydrogen, in the gaseous state, combines with exactly half its bulk of oxy- gen gas; therefore the hydrogen, which went to form water in the present case, must have been equivalent to 202 cubic inches. If we suppose with Saussure, (and it is the sup- position least favourable to our present purpose), that carbonic acid gas contains 27.5 per cent. of carbon, in that case the carbon contained in 104 cubic inches of it must weigh 13.24 grains. The weight of 202 cubic inches of hydrogen gas is 5.17 grains. Thus we have ascertained, that 100 cubie inches of the inflammable gas from stag- nant water, contains, of carbon, 13.24 . hydrogen, 5.17 Total, 13.41 But the weight of 1cocubicinches of the gas is only - 16.93 \So that the constituents found by —-— analysis, exceed the weight of the gas Broek os almost 1.5 grain. a hee td ¥ 514 ON OLEFIANT GAS. This is a clear proof that the gas contains no oxygen. The carbon and hydrogen which we have found it to contain, constitute the whole of its weight. The small excess would nearly va- nish, if we were to suppose the specific gravity of the gas to be 0.600, as Dalton found it. It is ob- viously owing to errors in the analysis, which are unavoidable when minute quantities of gaseous bodies are measured, 10. We may conclude, then, that the gas from stagnant water is entitled to the name of C@arbu- reted Hydrogen, and that it is a ocean of very nearly, carbon, 72 hydrogen, 28 EOO Mr Dalton considers it as composed of an atom of carbon, and two atoms of hydrogen; and this very nearly agrees with the above analysis, if we Suppose an atom of carbon to weigh 4.5, and an atom of hydrogen to weigh 1 ;, for 72 is to 28 very nearly as 4.5 to 2. Tuere is another gas which is at present con- sidered: as composed of carbon and hydrogen. It. was. discovered by the associated Dutch chemists, and called by them Olefiant Gas, in consequence of the oily-looking substance into which it is con- verted, when mixed with oxymuriatic acid gas, ‘The experiments of Cruickshanks, Henry, Dalton, ‘and Berthollet, all coincide to shew, that its only se ON OLEFIANT GAS. sts constituents aré carbon and hydrogen. Mr Mur- tay, howéver, in his System of Chemistry, has ex- pressed his suspicion that oxygen is also one of its ‘constituents. He founds his conjecture on the al- leged formation of carbonic acid gas when olé- fiant gas is passed through a red-hot tube. Even if carbonic acid were formed in this case, it would not prove the gas to contain oxygen, unless the ex- periment be made in such a manner as that all common air is ‘completely. excluded ; and practical chemists are sufficiently aware of the difficulty of such an exclusion, when the experiment is made in the usual way. Carbonic acid gas never makes its appearance, if the whole common air be preévi- ously removed from the tube by means of a cur- rent of hydrogen, and if care be taken to separate all the oxygen with which the olefiant gas may be mixed, by means of nitrous gas. It is proper to know, that liquid sulphuret of lime has the pro- perty of dissolving olefiant gas in considerable quantity. It cannot, therefore, be used to free the gas from oxygen. Though the well-earned celebrity of the che- mists who have analysed olefiant gas, left little doubt that their analysis was accurate, I thought | it worth while to repeat their experiments, in or- der to add my testimony to theirs. : 1. One ounce measure of alcohol, of the specific gravity 0.826, and 3 ounce measures of sulphuric acid, of the specific gravity 1.860, were mixed to- ye 516. ON OLEFIANT GAs. gether, and boiled ina small retort, almost to dry- ness ; while the gaseous products were received i in the usual manner over water. The gases obtained, (not reckoning the common air of the retort, which amounted to about 42 cubic inches), were 146. 12 cubic inches of olefiant gas, and 53 cubic inches of carbonic acid gas. _ The. proportion of carbonic acid at first was very small, but it increased as the process went on, and at the end amounted to about one-half of the olefiant gas. The charry matter which remained in the retort, after being. well washed and dried on a sand-bath, weighed, 68 grains. _ 2s A portion of this olefiant gas, deprived of its carbonic acid, but containing 10 per cent. of com- mon air, was found of the specific gravity 0.9756, that of air being 1.000.. Hence the specific gta vity of pure olefiant gas is 0.9745. This is hea- vier than it was found by the, Dutch chemists, who state its specific gravity at o.gog. As far as I know, the specific gi ravity has not been taken b fore in this country. 3. Being curious to know the nature of the sup- posed oil, which is formed when olefiant gas .is mixed with oxymuriatic acid gas, I filled a large bottle with olefiant gas, and passed a.current of oxymuriatic acid gas into it ; ; the wished for sub- stance soon collected at the bottom of the phial. It possessed the following properties. (z.) It was a liquid of a greenish-white colour, with a slight acer of oxymuriatic acid, which it ON OLEFIANT GAS. 519 lost when allowed to stand a sufficient time, expo- sed to the air. Its taste was’ sweet and cooling, and it made a strong, though not Mb sug im- pression on the palate. | (2.) When dropped into water, it fell to the _ bottom, and looked like so much melted phospho- rus. It continued in that state for some time if left at rest ; but when the mixture was agitated, it dissolved in the water. The liquid continued co- lourless, acquired a sweet and cooling agreeable taste, and a slight aromatic odour. It did not af- fect vegetable blues, but precipitated copiously with nitrate of silver. (3.) When dropped into alcohol, the liquid ap- peared milky at first, but almost immediately be- came transparent, a complete solution being ef- fected. (4.) Sulphuric ether dissolved it with great ra- pidity, and the solution was colourless, (5.) It did not dissolve in oil of turpentine, but continued in small globules, which attached them- selves to the bottom of the vessel. (6.) It dissolved immediately in nitric acid, without effervescence, or any apparent change in the liquid. (7.) When dropped into sulphuric acid, a co- pious effervescence took pluce, the smell of oxy- muriatic acid became evident, and the liquid re- - mained clear. mk 3°° 518 ON OLEFIANT. GAs. (8.) When left in an open vessel, it evaporated completely, leaving only a green trace. From these properties, it is obyious, that the le | quid in question does not belong to the class of oils. It isa substance of a nature quite peculiar, and seems to consist of the two gases simply com- bined together. It has considerable resemblance, at least in taste, to the pyro-acetic spirit of Mr Che- nevix. 4. When olefiant gas is mixed ale thrice its bulk of oxygen gas, it detonates very loudly, when an electric spark is passed through it, and burns with a strong white flame. According to, Mr Dalton, it consumes exactly thrice its bulk of oxy- gen gas, and forms twice its bulk of carbonic acid. My experiments, as will appear from the follow- ing table, very nearly coincide with his. The gas used contained 16 per cent. of common air, and the oxygen gas was mixed with 11 per cent. of azote. | ter combus- tion. Do. washed in lime-wa- Measures of nitrous gas added to do. Teas in 0 ie as a eo oS = S (2) Measures of olefiant gas. = : Residue. - | ON OLEFIANT GAS. 519 i} From this table we easily deduce the following : COMPOSITION oF RESIDUE. Measures oF GASES Kc oO iss) pales ae iS) 2 w S a P= a 7) Vv oo 3 2+ IZ AS) fo 2 e |SI/2 81s Azote. |Oxygen. BY ao M Oe | GBelfaos|/ st lHjog |x 16.8 | 53-14 |9-c6} 79 | eeoeeee eeeecee commas | eens EO a | eee ee fe | 16.8 54-04 9-16] 80 This table piviousl? furnishes us with the fol- lowing results : Average. Aver. per cent. From these experiments, it is easy to deduce the composition of olefiant gas: 100 cubic inches of it, at the temperature of 60°, and when the barome- ter stands at 30 inches, weigh 29.72 grains. Kk «4 : 520 ON OLEFIANT GAS. _ Of the 302 cubic inches of oxygen gas consu- med, 208 went to the formation of carbonic acid, The remaining 94 cubic inches must have gone to the formation of water, and they must have combined with a quantity of hydrogen, which, if in the gaseous form, would have amounted to 188 cubic inches. ‘Therefore, too cubic inches of olefiant gas, are composed of the carbon in 208 cubic inches of carbonic acid, and a quantity of hydrogen equivalent to 188 cubic inches. © | Now, the carbon in 208 inches of carbonic acid | Weighs ~ - 26.98 grains. 108 inches of hydrogen gas weigh 4.80 Total, © 31.78. Weight of the olefiant gas, 29:92 ere comes Surplus, 2.06 Thus the weight of the constituents found by analysis, exceed that of the olefiant gas by about th part;—a clear proof that olefiant gas contains no oxygen. ‘The science of chemistry, in its present state, admits of no stronger proof than what we have now given. It follows from the preceding analysis, that olefiant gas is composed cf about : | Carbon, - 85 Hydrogen, 1S ON OLEFIANT GAS. 621 Mr Dalton considers it as composed of an atom of carbon and an atom of hydrogen. This comes tolerably near the preceding analysis, if we sup- pose the weight of an atom of carbon 4.5, and that of an atom of hydrogen1. For 85 1s to 15 very nearly as 4.5 is to 0.8. : | 6: There is a curious experiment, first made by Cruickshanks, and afterwards repeated by Ber- thollet, which I thought it worth while to verify. When olefiant gas is mixed with less than its bulk of oxygen, and the mixture is fired by electricity, a quantity of charcoal precipitates, and the bulk of the residue, after the detonation, is much great- er than before. The following table exhibits the result of my experiments in this way: ohn 6 uy on os oe a ep wn ie a. nm (-B) oO . oe ma 4 nD) by mS BS 3 & cS v Hn , 5 Bod m 60 eS ee Bg noo oS o's Sl Sg ee | ak ae if 2 Bee Vee | eee |e =o =o oe O.8 33 Sas aa I} 39-5 28.5 100 94:5 37 [E215 2| 140 30 1i0 a. 40 30 110 Bites 4.0 29 110 In each of these experiments a quantity of charcoal was precipitated. It remained long sus- pended in the gaseous residue, quite dry, and ‘E22 ON OLEFIANT GAS. made its escape into the air, if the detonating tube was turned up. I attempted to ascertain the weight of this charcoal, but was not. successful. _ It was necessary, in order to collect it on the filter, to moisten it in the first place ; and it was found impossible to dissipate the whole of the water, without altering the filter. Hence it was always a great deal too heavy, never weighing less than _ s ee =th of a grain, From the preceding table we easily deduce the following : ce cid formed. | Pureolefiant Carbonic a- 6 33:2 | 26.64 245 23,0 | 27.98 | 8.42 3| 33 27.98 | 8.42 In the first experiment, 5.5 measures of oxy- en gas went to the formation of carbonic acid, an 3-74 were found. ancombined, after the ex- sllosities by the test of nitrous gas. Hence it fol- lows, that 17.4 measures of oxygen gas, combined with 33.2 measures of olefiant gas deprived of a ON OXYCARBURETED HYDROGEN. 523 portion of its carbon, and formed a new inflam- mable gas, amounting to 82.7 measures in bulk, or almost double the bulk of the two gases that went to form it. | | The new inflammable gas being examined by a new mixture with oxygen gas, and a new detona- tion, was found to consume 73 per cent. of oxygen gas, and to form 55 per cent. of carbonic acid. Hence the 82.7 measures would have form- ed - - 7 45-5 But 33.2 measures of olefiant gas would have formed - - 69.0 Difference, 23.5 from this it would seem, that about «th of the carbon removed by the first explosion, 1s convert- ed into carbonic acid, while £ths precipitate in the state of a black powder. 33-2 cubic inches of olefiant gas | weigh ior ~ 9.87 grains. The carbon in 23.5 cubic inches of carbonic acid weighs 3.05 | Residue, 6.82 17.4 cubic inches ‘of oxygen weigh - - 5.3F Hence the weight of 82.7 cubic inches of the new gas cannot | exceed - - 12,13 $24 ON OXYCARBURETED HYDROGEN. _ Hence 100 cubic inches of it would weigh 14.66 grains, and its specific gravity cannot ex- 0.4808. | This is on the most unfavourable supposition, that no water whatever is formed during the first combustion. If water be formed, it is obviously lighter than we have made it. It 1s clear, there- fore, that this new-formed gas, to which the name of Oxycarbureted Hydrogen may with propriety be given, is quite different from carbonic oxide gas, the specific gravity of which is 0.959, or al- most double of our new gas. 9.87 grains of olefiant gas are composed of - 1.49 hydrogen. 8.38 carbon. 9.87 - Hence our oxycarbureted hydrogen gas is com- posed of adie 1.49 hydrogen. 5.33 carbon. | 5.31 oxygen. 12.13 or per cent. of carbon, . . 43-9 oxygen, - - 43.8 hydrogen, - - 12.3 ON OXYCARBURETED HYDROGEN. 525 It is not improbable, that this oxycarbureted hydrogen gas is composed of an atom of carbon, an atom of oxygen, and an atom of hydrogen. If that supposition be well- founded, the proportion of oxygen must exceed a little what we have ob- tained by our analysis. ‘This would probably have been ‘the case, if we had founded our analysis up- on any of the succeeding experiments, rather than the first of the preceding table. | : The preceding experiments, I flatter myself, entitle: us to conclude, that two gaseous com- pounds of hydrogen and carbon exist. To the first we may give the usual name of Carbureted Hydrogen ; to the second the name of Supercarbu- reted Hydrogen, as it contains very nearly twice as much carbon as the first gas does. There exists also a gaseous compound, consisting of oxygen, , carbon, and hydrogen ; but it differs in its pro- perties from all other inflammable gases hitherto examined. © The reason why the inflammable gases from vegetable and animal substances differ so much from each other is, that they usually hold an oil in solution, and are mixed with variable _qvantities of carbonic oxide gas. XXVIE. A List of Fishes found in the Frith of Forth, and Rivers and Lakes near Edinburgh, with Remarks. | By P. Neru1, F. A.S. & Sec. W.S. [Read 16th July 1808.] T HE following list is by no means presented to the Society, as even approaching to complete. It contains only such fishes as have fallen under my own observation, during the space of a very few years past. Some species mentioned by Sir Ro- bert Sibbald and other writers, as having been found in the Frith, but which I have not met with, are therefore purposely omitted. Very few indeed of the rarer fishes will be found to occur in this catalogue: but most of these are only occa-. sional visitants ; and if the publication of this list LIST OF FISHES. ($27 tend to incite others to communicate fl.eir disco- veries, its principal object will be accomplished. To the Linnean and English appellations, the Scottish names have been added, wherever they _ appeared peculiar ; and these last are printed in Kealics. Es Seer 2 PISCES, APODES. MurRANA. M. Anguilla, Common Fel. Abundant in the lakes of Duddingstone and Lochend, and in the rivers Leith and Almond ; and likewise often taken in the Frith. M. Conger. Conger-eel; Hewe-cel of Sir Robert Sibbald; or Heevil. This species is sometimes, but not very sea found in the Frith. The largest I have seen was about six feet long. They are tenacious of life : T have seen one alive and vigorous in the Edin- burgh market, although it had been ten hours out of the water. ANARHICHAS. A. Lupus. Sea-wolt, or Wolf-fish; Sea-Cat of Scotiand. This is pretty common about the rocky coast at the mouth of the Frith, and is often brought to 528 - LIST OF FISHES — ~market. .iMr Pennant says, he did not observe in the wolf-fish any lateral line ; but he had described froma specimen which had been kept for some time ; for, in the newly caught fish, the lateral line is: sufficiently obvious. In our market, the fish seldom exceeds two feet in length: it has, however, been got in the mouth of the Frith above five feet long. Its stomach is often found nearly filled with fracments of large and small whelks and crabs, (Buccinum undatum, Turbo littoreus, Cancer pagurus, C. depurator, and others.) AMMODYTES. he A. Tobianus. Sand-lance; Sand-eel ; Hornel. In the summer months, the sand-lance may be taken in great numbers, by digging in the wet sands near the Black Rocks, in front of Leith Harbour, at ebb-tide. The largest sand-lances are called by the fishermen hornels. : [That the Sword-fish, X1PHras Gladius, occa- sionally enters our Frith, appears from tue autho- rity of Sir Robert Sibbald, who describes one caught there, which was exhibited in Edinburgh as a show.—No species of the genus OpHipniuM has yet occurred to me.] . FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 529 sie JUGULARES. CaLLIONYMUS. , iyi C. Lyra. Dragonet ; Chaniicleer, or Gowdie. Mr Pennant and other authors, describe twd species of Callionymus as natives of our seas ;—the Gemmeous Dragonet, C. Lyra; and the Sordid Dragonet, C. Dracunculus. ‘They bear a consi- derable resemblance to each other ; the Gemmeous Dragonet being distingtiished chiefly by the great length of the first ray of the dorsal fin, by being somewhat superior in size, and by the brillancy of its colours. Mr Stewart remarks, that “ it is not certain but the Sordid Dragonet is a mere variety of the Gemmeous*.”? Dr Shaw says, that “ C. Dracunculus is so nearly allied to C. Lyra, that it may perhaps be doubted whether it may not be in reality the same animal in a less advanced state+.’? Mr Donovan, however, in his elegant, and generally accurate work, on British Fishes, considers them as “ certainly distinct {.” Professor Gmelin seems to have been the first to suspect that the difference might depend on the sex of the animal; and, in adopting from Pennant the Callionymus Dracunculus in- Ll * « Elements of Natural History,” vol, ii. p. 325. : oe tides! Zoology,” vol. iv. part i. a. 47. t “ Natural History of British Fishes,” vol. iv. plate 48. 530 LIST OF FISHES to his edition of the “ Systema Nature,” he subjoins a query, ‘ An solo sexu a Lyra diver- sus?’? To this, I think, I am able to answer in the affirmative. Although the Dragonet is men- tioned by English authors as being a rare fish on their coasts, it is rather common near the mouth of the Frith of Forth. Both sorts are there found, in water from 12 to 20 fathoms deep. They are often caught on the haddock lines, which are baited with muscles: they are, however, seldom brought ashore, the fishermen despising them. Having, some summers ago, expressed a wish to the New- haven fishermen, that they would procure for me a few gowdies (as they call them), I soon found myself overstocked with specimens. In the course of dissecting and preserving some of each, it struck me as remarkable, that the gemmeous dragonets were all males, and the sordid dragonets all females. I now considered it as a fortunate elrcumstance, that numbers were brought to me, —presuming that if I should find the gemmeous dragonets to be uniformly mzlters, and the sordid dragonets to be uniformly spawners, I might be permitted to conclude, that they are only male and female of one and the same species. I accord-— ingly opened every specimen which I received, to: the amount of some dozens; and the result entire- ly supported that opinion. Both sorts were brought to me nearly in equal numbers ; and from the fishermen I learned, that they were taken pro- \ FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 531 “miscuously on the same lines. The Calhonymus Dracunculus falls therefore to be dropped as a spe- cies ; but it seems unnecessary to change the spe- — cific name Lyra, which happily enough alludes’ to’ the lengthened first ray of the dorsal fin of the male, which is bent in shape of a lyre. Gapus. G. Zéglefinus.. Haddock. Formerly abundant in every part of the Frith ; but of late years found only in the bays of Leven and Aberlady, near its mouth. G. Morhua. Cod. , Cod-fish, not of the largest size, are sometimes found plentifully on the coast of Fife.. The young are called Codlings, Red-ware cod, and Tan- ny cod. G. Luscus. Bib. _ This is occasionally caught in the Frith, in the spring and summer; but it is not a common spe- cles. G. Merlangus. Whiting. This is taken in the spring and summer months, in considerable numbers. G. carbonarius. Coal-fish. The fry of this species is exceedingly common on our coast from June to August, as it is indeed on every part of the coast of Scotland. In sum- mer, the bason of the New Wet Dock, at Leith Lia - §32 _ LIST OF FISHES generally swarms with the fry. The number of different provincial names bestowed on this spe- . cles is amusing, and sometimes indeed rather per- plexing. Here the fry are called podleys ; in Ork-: ney and Shetland they are called sillocks. When a year old, the coal-fish begins to blacken over the. gills, and on the ridge of the back; and we have then a new series of names: among the Hebrides, cuddies ; in Sutherland, glassocks ; in’ Orkney, cooths ; and in Shetland, piltocks. When full erown, they are quite black, and have still other names bestowed on them, as colmeys, sethes, seys, and grey-lords. The coal-fish seems to abound in the whole North Sea, to the highest la- titudes. It was the only kind of fish found by Lord Mulgrave at Spitzbergen *. G. Pollachius. Pollack; Lythe. Not common here. G. virens. Green Gadus of Dr Shaw. This is not unlike the young coal-fish; but its back is green, the lateral line quite straight, and the tail more deeply forked. It is taken in our Frith during summer. , G. Molva. Ling. This species scarcely ever enters the Frith ; but it is found off the Isle of May in the _ months. * Phipps’ Voyage. — ~ FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 533 G. tricirratus. 'Three-bearded Cod ; Rock-ling. This kind is common among the sea-rocks near the beach, and is taken along with the viviparous blenny. It has generally been considered by na- turalists as only a variety of G. Mustela, or Five- bearded cod; but Pennant and Donovan have rightly established it as a distinct species. G. Brosme. Tusk, or Scotch Torsk. | Very rarely taken about the mouth of the Frith, and brought to the Edinburgh market. BLENNIUS. BR. Gunnelus. Spotted Blenny, or Butter-fish. This is perhaps not uncommon ; but it is never brought to market, and it is not easily taken, as it escapes very nimbly. it is found at ebb-tide in small pools among rocks, covered with the larger sea-weeds. | | B. viviparus. Viviparous Blenny ; Greenbone. Here this species sometimes gets the names of Eelpout and Gufer, but more frequently Green- bone, from the backbone becoming green when the ‘fish is boiled. It is very common among the rocks and sea-weeds all along our shores. ‘Though not a delicate morsel, it is often brought to market. In the month of February 1807, I saw a large fe- -male in the fish-market, from which several do- gens of young ones escaped alive. Dr Shaw tells us, that the viviparous blenny sometimes attains L&3 534 | LIST OF FISHES. the size of twelve inches ; but this foil was fif- teen inches long. He says further, that the rela- tive size of the young, at the time of their exclu- sion, may be judged of from his plate ; but I must remark, that, in the plate, they are proportionally much too small. Although, in the instance above mentioned, the parturition was probably prema- ture, the first that were excluded were between four and five inches long; whereas, according to Dr Shaw’s proportional size, they ought not to have been two inches in length. THORACICI. Gosius. G. minutus. Spotted Goby. Sometimes taken in the shrimp- nets at Figget Whins and Portobello. : ei wiGEh Cc, catapbractus. Pogge or Armed Bullhead ; a rie; Sea Poacher ; Pluck ; Noble. — This is often taken in oyster-dredges and her- -ring-nets, but is detested by the fishermen. . a Fatherlasher, or Lasher Bullhead ; Lucky “proach. This species is very common. Nea 1S seit Name -eaten ci the fishermen:s but is seldom brought to market. | | Aj J ig II recollect to have sech a specimen of the Cot- tus Gobio, or Miuller’s-Thumb, alive in Edin- FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. * 5§35 burgh; but it may have been brought from a di- stance. ] — ZLEvs. ZL. Faber. Doree; Fobn Dory. : This is rarely met with in our Frith: it has sometimes been entangled in trawl-nets in Goulan Bay. | L. Luna. (1. Opab, Shaw). Opah, or King- fish. Sir Robert Sibbald,in his ‘* Prodromus,”’ publish- ed in the beginning of the 18th century, describes a specimen of this uncommon and resplendent fish, as having been taken ‘‘ near the North Ferry.” In the “ Philosophical Transactions,’? and in “« British Zoology,’’ we have accounts of the oc- currence of three specimens on the coasts of our island. The first was found near Leith in 17503 the next was cast ashore near Newcastle in 1769 ; the third was taken at Brixham in ‘Torbay in 1772, Mr Donovan, in his “ Natural History of British Fishes,’’ mentions the subsequent occurrence of other three specimens on the coast of Scotland, one of which is in his own collection. Others still have occurred. A few years ago, a very fine one was taken off Gramond, and it is now in the mu- seum of Patrick Walker, Esq; of this Society. Another was, about the same time, found near Burntisland, but not preserved ; and a third was stranded on the beach at the little village of East L1l4 | | 536 LIST OF FISHES § ©) 0% Tnch-haven near Arbroath, and carried to the town of Dundee as a spectacle——-I have no’ doubt, further, that the opah has often been found on our shores, without being noticed by any naturalist. During a visit to Orkney in 1804, I was surprised to find it accurately described to me as having been several times cast ashore, during storms, in the island of Sanda, and once at the reise of Scalpa, about a mile from Kirkwall. PLEURONECTES. | P. Hippoglossus. Wolibut; Turbot. In our market this is ponent though very preposterously, named the turbot ; the proper tur- bot, at the same time, getting another pane, that of rawn-fleuk, P. Platessa. Plaise. | _ This is one of the most common of our flat-fish. ‘When small, they are called fleuks ; when large, Dutch plaise. 3 P. Flesus. Common Flounder, or Fresh-water Flounder ; Mayock-fleuk. This is extremely common, and nowhere does -3t abound more than in Leith Harbour. It seems to delight in places having a clayey bottom. P. Limanda.. Dab. This species is also very common on our shores, and is almost every day to be seen in our market. It is often emphatically distinguished by the fish- dealers as the saltie, or salt-water fleuk. FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. | 537 P. microcephalus. Smear-dab ; Sand-fleuk. This is taken off Seton Sands, and in Aberlady Bay. is ! id | P. Solea. Sole. This is well known as the richest and most sa- _ voury of flat-fish. A few small soles are occa- sionally brought to our market in the summer months ; but a large sole is never to be seen there. This is probably much owing to want of enter- prise in our fishermen; soles of a tolerable size being not uncommon in all the bays near the mouth of the Frith. | P. maximus. Turbot; Rawn-fleuk ; Guaner-fleuk. This species, as already remarked, is here com- monly denominated the rawm-feuk, from its be- ing thought best for the table when in rawa or roe :* it is sometimes also called Bannock-fleuk, on account of its round shape. P. rhombus. Brill, Pearl, Mouse-dab; Bonnet. fleuk.. 2 This is likewise found in Aberlady Bay. Some-. times it occurs of a wonsiderable size, resembling a young turbot. DSPARUS. S. Raiiz. Toothed Gilthead. | ‘“ Only three specimens,’’ says Mr Donovan *, “‘ of this rare fish appear to have been hitherto _ discovered. The first was found on the sands near * In his Catalogue, &e. 538 . LIS OF FISHES) 0001 the mouth of the Tees, on the 18th September 1681, and described by Mr Ray,” The second is Mr Donovan’s specimen, which was found on the shore, near St Andrew’s, in Scotland, in 1782. «> A third has been since observed in Devonshire, and is recorded in the Linnean Transactions.” Several additional specimens of this rare species of gilt-head have of late years been taken in the Frith of Forth. LABRUS. L. Zinca. Ancient Wrasse, or Old Wife; Bras- SY : The brassy is found, in the summer months, on the hettle or rocky grounds, It is not common here. : L. trimaculatus. 'Trimaculated Wrasse. Several of this elegant species are taken”every summer in the Frith of Forth. The fishermen in- correctly name them the Seq-perch. I have ne- ver known the proper Sea-perch, Perca marina, to have been caught in our Frith. Piaek P. fluviatilis. Common Perch. Abundant in the lakes of Duddingstone and Lochend. P. Labrax. (P. punctata, Gmelin). Basse. This is a neat looking fish, not very common in our Frith, but sometimes occurring in the summer months. In the stomach of one ] found a sand- FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 539 lance, and a couple of the small fry of the father- lasher. GASTEROSTEUS. G. aculeatus. Banstickle, or ig ee spined Stickle- back. Common in all clear ees Occasionally, af- ter heavy rains, shoals of banstickles are washed down the rivulets into the Frith. Here they seem to thrive wonderfully ; those which I have found in the salt water being about three times larger than those in fresh-water ditches. G. Spinachia. Large or Fifteen-spined Stickle- or MCC. | ! This is sometimes found in pools, at ebb-tide, in rocky places of the coast. G. pungitius. ‘Ten-spined Stickleback. Not so common as the Fifteen-spined. TRIGLA. | T. Gurnardus. Grey Gurnard ; Crooner, or Croin- eee « The crooner 1s very common here. It derives this appellation from the circumstance of its so forcibly emitting air through its gill-covers, on being taken out of the water, as to produce a stri- dulous noise, like the purring or crooning of a cat. It is known by a variety of other names, as Cap- tain, Hardbead, Goukmey, and Woof. 540 - LIST OF FISHES ScoMBER. aM ' a ee S. Scomber. Common Mackerel. ue Small shoals of mackerel are occasionally found about the mouth of the Frith, in “jah summer and autumn months. | [S. Drachurus, Scad, Horse-mackerel, or stour- mackerel, is said sometimes to have been found 1 in the Frith ; but I have not met with it.] ABDOMINALES. CosirTIs. C. barbatula. Loche. This appears to be rather an uncommon fish in the English rivers; but it is frequent in the Water of Leith, and other rivers of Scotland in general, SALMO. S. Salar. Salmon. This is occasionally taken in the Frith , during. July and August, the season of the fish’s Pena l: cal visit to the sea. S. Zrutta. Salmon Trout; Bull isa or Sea Trout. This is very common, especially about the mouths of the Esk ‘and the Almond. 5. Fario, Common ‘Trout This is still found in We Water of Leith: ~~ bf FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH, 54 though unquestionably rendered scarce, by the establishment of distilleries, and other manufac- tures, on its banks. S. Eperlanus. Smelt ; Spirling, or Sparling. The large variety, or sea-smelt, is not uncom- mon in the Frith: the small kind ascends the ri- ver Forth in vast quantities in the spring months, to spawn, and it is brought to market plentifully in March and April. [The stalls of our market exhibit two other species of SaALMo, brought from Lochleven: the S. Levenensis of Dr Walker, or Lochleven Trout ; and the 8. alpinus, Red Char, or Gerletroch.] Eisox. | E. Lucius. Common Pike ; Ged. This inhabits Duddingstone Lake; but is not often seen. The numerous perches, which gree- dily devour the roe of the pike, are supposed near- ly to have extirpated the breed. E. Belone. Sea-Pike ; Gar-Pike ; Guard-fish. This is occasionally taken in the entrance of the Frith. | E. Saurus. Saury-Pike; Gowdnook. ° This fish appears to have been unknown to Lin- neus, Gmelin, or Bloch. Mr Ray, however, evi- dently alludes to it as known in: his day, on thé coast of Cornwall, by the name of Skobster or 542 LIST OF FISHES: :: Skipper. It seems to be rare in the southern or: English seas ; but it is not uncommon in the north, of Scotland, and almost every autumn it enters the Frith of Forth in considerable shoals. Here it is named Gowdnook, Gowdanook, or Gaufnook, and sometimes Egypt-berring. It appears to be a stu- pid inactive fish. When the sauries run up our Frith in numbers, they do not, like other fishes, retire from the shallows at the ebbing of the tide, but are then found by hundreds, having their long noses stuck in the sludge, and are picked up by people from Kincardine, Alloa, and other places. Mr Pennant mentions, that great numbers of sau- ries were thrown ashore at Leith by a storm, in November 1768.—This fish is very indifferently figured by Pennant ; it is pretty correctly repre- sented by Mr Racket, in the “ Linnean Transac- tions,’’ vol. 3. In this last case, however, as well as in the former, the specimen seems, unluckily, to have had the points of the long slender jaws broken off, probably by accident in the carriage inland. When complete, they are bent a little ‘upwards, like the bill of the avoset: so striking, indeed, is the resemblance, that to Mr Racket’s specific character *, after the words “ rostro subu- —— * « Esox, Saurus. Rostro subulato, maxillis medio hiantibus. ‘¢ Dorsum viridi-cerulescens. Venter argenteus. FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 543 lato,’’? might perhaps be added, ‘ instar avosettze avis rostri.’? Here, it may be proper to remark, that La Cepéde’s figure, in the Continuation of Buffon, is correct in this particular *.———Mr Racket informs ws, that his figure is of the natural ‘size; and it measures 124 inches. The fish had not, however, been of full growth. One speci+ men in my possession is 15 inches long; and Mr P. Walker has a specimen fully 18 inches in length. Mr Pennant may be considered as mista- ken, therefore, when he mentions 11 inches as its mean length. The character given by Mr Racket, “ pinnulis utrinque sex versus caudam,”’ is not in- variable. In the specimens which I have exami- ned, there were only five spurious fins above, while there were six beneath. Indeed, Mr Rac- ket’s figure is correct in this respect, and at vari- ance with his description. The number of finlets, \ Mandibula superior paululum reécurvata. Pinna dorsa- lis et analis opposita; pinnulis utrinque sex versus cau- dam. Cauda bifida.” * Mr Donovan’s figure of the saury, in the £/¢) volume of his ‘ British Fishes,’? (published since this list was laid before the Society), is, i find, also correct in this re- spect. He has likewise improved the specific character, by describing the jaws as ‘‘ subascendentes ;”’ and most of his observations coincide with mine.—[Qct. 1$10.] 544 LIST-OF FISHES’! Gu however, 1s we to vary in a fishes which panes | them. r pe &) ¥ ATHERINA. A. Hepsetus. European Atherine. This I have repeatedly found washed key about Figget Whins, after easterly winds. MucIi.. M. Cephalus. Common or Grey Mullet. This is found, but not very frequently, at the mouth of the Esk: it is chiefly got in the spring months, along with salmon-trout. CLUPEA. C. Harengus. Herring. The food of the herring has often been considered ds a problem, the stomach being generally found empty. I therefore think it worth while to men- tion, that on one occasion, I found im the stomach and cesophagus of a large female herring, no fewer than five young herrings (not sprats), the lower partly dissolved, the others entire. It can hardly be doubted, therefore, that, when they have it in their power, herrings feed on very solid food, since they are occasionally voracious enough to _ devour even their own species. ‘Their more com- mon food may be of a softer and gelatinous nature, and therefore rapidly dissolved in the stomach.— It has been thought that “ no bait will tempt the ON FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 545 herring *.’’ This, however, is a mistake: it has been known to bite at an artificial fly; and when in Shetland, in 1804, I met with people who had occasionally taken herrings, when fishing for pil- tocks, or coal-fish, with limpet-bait. _C. Pilchardus. Pilchard; Pilcher ; Gypsey-ber- ring. Pilchards come into the Frith. chiefly at the head of the annual shoal of herrings, and they are seldom seen in our market after October. C. Spratius. Sprat; Garvie-berring. It isa prevalent opinion among the fishermen of Newhaven, that this is nothing else than the _yoting of the common herring. It is certainly not easy to point out invariable marks of discrimina- tion; for the serratures in the abdomen of the sprat are less marked in the larger specimens, and might be supposed to become obliterated in the full-grown fish. A surer criterion of distinction may be found in the relative position of the dor- sal and ventral fins: if a straight line be dropped from the forepart of the dorsal-fin perpendicular- ly downwards, it will, in the true herring, falla little in front of the ventral fins; but, in the gar- vie, it will fall a little behind the same fins, Gar- Mm @ Mr Skrimshire’s Essays.”’ : 546 LIST OF FISHES vies are sometimes taken with small ‘trawl-nets, at the mouth of the Almond, and sold in the Edin- burgh market at the rate of 1d. a dozen. CYPRINUS. C. Phoxinus.. Minow. | Common in the Water of Leith; and the only species of this numerous genus to be found in this neighbourhood. About a dozen of kinds of Cy- prini inhabit the rivers, canals, and ponds of Eng- land ;—the Barbel, Carp, Gudgeon, Tench, Cru- cian, Dace, Roach, Rud, Chub, Bleak, Red-eye, and Bream. Of these, only the Rud, and the Roach or Braise, are to be found in Scotland. The Goldfish, Cyprinus auratus, is now natura- lized in some of our ponds. | AMPHIBIA NANTES. BRANCHIOSTEGI. Cepuatus. (Tetrodon.) C. brevis. (Diodon Mola of Dr Shaw.) Short Sunfish. This singular looking, and rare fish, has been several times taken in the Frith of Forth within these few years. A specimen was caught near . the mouth of the Almond river in the autumn of FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 547 i800, and is still preserved in the museum of P. Walker, Esq; at Coats. Another. was caught shortly after. A third was taken near Inch Colm in July 1806, and brought to me. The fisher- men informed me, that when they observed it, it was swimming slowly along, sidewise, with its back-fin frequently above water. It seemed to be a stupid dull fish: it made little or no attempt to escape, but allowed one of the sailors to put his hands under it, and lift it fairly into the boat. The sunfish has been generally mentioned as re- ‘markable for its phosphorescence ; but this speci- men did not exhibit that phenomenon so distinct- ly as a haddock or a herring.—It is perhaps scarcely necessary to observe, that the Diodon Mola of Gmelin is a very different species from that here alluded to, and, indeed, is found only in tropical seas. SYNGNATHUS. | | S. Acus. Sea-needle; Needle-fish 3 Gaugnet. This is found lurking among the sea-weeds, in shallow water, very common. S. Zypble. Shorter Pipe-fish. Found along with the preceding, to which it is nearly allied. S. Ophidion. Sea Adder. This is occasionally found among the rejecta- menta of the Newhaven boats, Mm 2 548 LIST OF FISHES CycLoprerus. | . Ce Lumpus.+» Lump-fish ; ; Lump-sucker ; Padle. This is brought to rani et in the spring months, nets being set for it on the Sands off Portobello. The male (called by our fishermen Cock-padle), is, for the table, at that season much preferable to the female, (which is named the Hush, Hen-padle, and in Fife the Bagaty). The female is general- ly of a larger size than the male ; and, later in the year, 1t is nearly of equal quality. Lopuius. L. piscatorius, (L. Europeus of Dr Shaw) ; Frog. fish ; Toad-fish ; A/ulrein. The roa appearance of this animal ae pro- cured it many expressive English and Scottish names. Besides Frog-fish and ‘Toad-fish, it is of- ten called Sea-devil; and, from its lying buried in the sand, and moving its tentacula or cirri, like worms, in order to entice its prey, Mr Pennant styles it the Angler. Here, it is named the Mui. vein, or Mareillen ; sometimes the Merlin-fish. In the North Isles of Scotland, it is very charac- teristically termed the Wide-gab, the mouth being hideously large, extending entirely across its dis- proportionately great head, which is bigger than all the rest of the body. | ~ SOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 549 CHONDROPTERYGII. . ACIPENSER. A. Sturio.. Common Sturgeon. One or two specimens are generally found eve- ty summer, about the mouth of the Almond, or of the Esk. ‘Those brought to our market seldom exceed seven or eight feet in length; but in some of our rivers, they are got twelve or fourteen feet long, often tearing to pieces the salmon-nets in which they are accidentally entangled. SQuALus. 9. Canicula, This is sometimes likewise an unwelcome intru- der into the nets, among which, being of a large size, he makes great havock. S. Catulus. Spotted Dog-fish. _ This is sometimes, though not often, entangled in the skate-nets. S. Mustelus. Smooth Hound; Murloch. This is occasionally found, along with the Piked Dog-fish. . 9. Cornubicus. Porbeagle Shark. This is-rather uncommon in the Frith. A spe- eimen was accidentally taken in a net in June 1804, and brought into Newhaven. It was about six feet in length; two feet longer than the one Mm 3 §5° _ LIST OF FISHES described by the Bishop of Carlisle, j in the 3d ve- lume of the ‘* Linnean Transactions.” Before I saw the specimen, it was cut open, and the liver ny removed. Itwasa female. On opening the ani-_ mal, no fewer than thirty young. ones appeared, fifteen in each of two bags. ‘These were all from twelve to fourteen inches in length, fully formed, and apparently ready for exclusion.— Another specimen, also a female, was entangled i In a herring-net, near Queensferry, in October 1808. It was still larger than the former, measuring, from the tip of the snout to the extremity of the tail, nearly eight feet.—This species is generally considered as synonymous with the Beaumaris Shark of Mr Pennant; but it does not perfectly accord with the characters of the Sguale long-nex of La Cepéde, which has been considered as ano- ther synonime. It seems to be the same species which the late Dr Walker found in Loch Fyne many years ago, and which he then rightly consi- dered as a non-descript. pe S. maximus, (of Dr Shaw). pickion Shark ; “Sail. fish. This species seldom enters the Frith. One 1 was observed by some Newhaven fishermen in summer 1808, about a mile off the shore of Figget Whins, between Leith and Portobello. This species is common in the Scottish seas, in the summer months. On the west coast it is well-known by © FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. aaa the names of saz/-fish and cairban ; in the north of Scotland it is called pricker, and brigdie. S. Acanthias. Piked Dog-fish ; Sea-dog. Great numbers of sea-dogs generally attend the © shoals of herrings that enter the Frith. They of- ten gnaw through the nets, and devour the her- rings inclosed.—Here, the dog-fish is commonly neglected as food, and cast to the dunghil. In the north of Scotland it is often eaten. ‘The flesh of the male has a rank and offensive smell compa- red with that of the female: the latter is therefore preferable for food. In the Pentland Frith, and among the Orkney Islands, vast numbers are year- ly caught, for the sake, chiefly, of the oil which they afford. The fish is there named the doe. 5S. Squatina. Angel-fish, or Monk-fish. This‘ugly animal, for its common name must be ‘understood ironically, is unlike the other sharks, and approaches, in general structure, to some of the ray-tribe. A specimen, rather more than four feet long, was taken in the Frith, in a skate-net, sunk off Kinghorn, about thirty years ago, and carried to Dr Monro by the Newhaven fishermen. It is still preserved in the Doctor’s ‘museum. A larger specimen, taken also. in the _ Frith, was in the collection of the late Dr Wal- ker. This is the Mermaid-fish of Artedi, and has probably given rise to some of the many stories which we read and hear concerning mermaids. Mm 4 ) 55% LIST OF FISHES The front being somewhat round, and ‘the! eyes placed pretty near to each other ;—~a lively ima- aOspan especially if influenced by fear, might asily trace some resemblance to a | plump ee ea , Rata, R. Batis. Skate or Flaire. This is pretty common. By the fish-dealers here it is often called Blue-skate, Grey-skate, or Dinnen-skate, to distinguish it from the Thorn- back, which is more plentiful in the Frith, and is also accounted a skate. It is easily known from the other common rays, by the middle of the back being destitute of spines. The male has not only his pectoral fins studded with spines, but he pos- sesses long sharp-edged appendages on the lower part of his body, with which he lays hold of the female; the fishers call these appendages skate- sheers, from their resemblance to the blades of a pair of scissars. On large specimens, I have often found the Hirudo muricata, fixed on the belly, and leaving a bloody inflamed mark at the spot from whence I detached it. In the females, two horny capsules, containing each a‘young skate, may often be found nearly ready for exclusion; and, at the same time, two others not so far ad- vanced, and a multitude of rudiments of capsules, in a soft state. On opening a capsule nearly ripe, i have more than once found the young skate SUE FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 553 rounded with a whitish liquor, like rich cream, of a bland taste; the eyes of it were very large and ugly; the animal moved its tail slowly from side to side, but shewed no other motion. R. oxyrbincbus. Sharp-nosed Ray; White-skate ; Friar-skate ; May- skate, or Mavis-skate. This is now and then got, when the nets are shot near the mouth of the Frith. It 1s generally of a pretty large size, of a whitish colour, and ve- ry thin, the thinnest proportionally of the ray tribe. Its spontoon-shaped nose readily distin- guishes it. : R. rubus. Rough ray; Hommelin, This occurs sometimes, especially when traw!l- nets are employed, which sweep along the bottom, It resembles the thornback ; but has pointed teeth, - while those of the thornback are obtuse. R. clavata. Thornback ; Thorny-back. This is the most common species of ray here, and the one most generally sold in our market un- der the name of skate,—which is here a generic denomination for the ray-tribe. It is readily di- stinguished from the true skate, by a row of strong spines running down the back. The young both of the thornback and the skate are denomi- nated Maiden-skate: those of the latter are some- 554 LIST OF FISHES | times, however, estngpihed by the name of Din- MES. 3 R. Cuvieri. Cuvier’s Ray, A single specimen of this rare fish was taken in the trawl-nets which were for some time employ- ed in fishing for sole and turbot in the Frith of Forth, in summer 1808 ; and it therefore falls to be added to the British tee This species was first found on the coast of France in 1792, described by La Cepéde, and by him named in honour of Cuvier, the celebrated comparative anatomist at Paris. It isstrikingly distinguished by having an upright oval-shaped dorsal fin in the middle of the back. The specimen having been kept for me some days, by Mr Prior, fishmonger, who ebserved it among a large cargo of thornbacks and rough-rays; before I saw it, it was ina putrescent state, and the traces of the dark spots on the back were merely visible. When laid flat on a table, with the pectoral: fins spread out, the fish was of a rhomboidal or diamond shape. It was nearly twelve inches broad, and a little more in length. [I understand that the White- horse, ‘Raia ful- lonica, has been seen in the market; but I have mever met with it.] FOUND IN THE FRITH OF FORTH. 555 PETROMYZON. i P. marinus. Spotted Lamprey ; Lamper-eel. This is found in the Frith, near the mouths of the Almond and the Esk, in the spring season, but not in any considerable quantity. P, fluviatilis. Lesser Lamprey ; Nine-eyed-cel. This is abundant in the rivers Leith, Almond, and Esk. The popular name Nine-eyed-eel arises _ from the spiracles being taken for eyes. a XXVIII. Catalogue of Animals, of the Class Vermes, found in the Frith of Forth, and other Parts of Scotland. By Prorrssor JAMESON. [Read 9th Dec. 1809.) * MOLLUSCA. Tritonia. Lamark, Miiller, Bosc. T. papillosa, Bosc. Leith Shore. verrucosa, Bosc. Leith Shore, and Shetland Islands. . \ Doris. D. Argo, Lin. I observed several specimens of this beautiful species on the rocks near the Beacon at Leith. ASCIDIA. | A, rustica, Miller. Adhering to roots of the Fu- cus digitatus on Leith Shore. LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMES. . S57 AscIpDIA. A. prunum, Miller. Adhering to fuci, Leith Shore. | pe . conchilega, Miller. Adhering to fuci, Leith _ Shore. MAMMARIA. M. mammella, Miller. Adhering to fuci, but rare, Leith Shore. “LInEvs. L. longissimus. (Black-worm of the Newhaven fishermen). On the oyster-banks, not un-— common. Noticed many years ago by my friend Mr Neill; afterwards transmitted by the late Mr Simmonds to Mr Sowerby, who has figured and described it under its pre- sent name in his “ British Miscellany.”’ NEREIS. N. mollis, Miller. This rare species occurs. sel- dom in this neighbourhood. I have also met with it on the shores of Shetland. lamelligera. Deep water in the Frith, brought up by the oyster-dredges. Mr Neill. APHRODITA. A. scabra, Lin. | Leith Shore. aculeata, Lin. Leith Shore. | fe 558 “LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMES. APHRODITA. A. punctata, Bose. squamata, Lin. Pallas, Mise, Zool. cap. 7. fig. 14. Leith Shore, and Orkney and Shetland Islands. imbricata. Leith Shore, and Orkney and Shet: land Islands. AMPHITRITE. A. ventilabrum, Miiller. Near Queensferry. cristata, Miiller.. Leith Shore. HoLorHuria. The following species of this genus were found in the Frith of Forth by Mr Neill. H. pentactes, Pennant. ) sp. nov. Lin. Trans. vol. ix. t. vii. fig. 4 *. Mepvsa. M. e«guorea, Miiller. Orkney and Shetland Islands. _ aurita, Lin. Orkney and Shetland Islands. ACTINIA, A. rufa. Leith Shore, also Orkney and Shetland Islands. crassicornis. Orkney and Shetland Islands, also the Western Islands. gemmacea, Ellis. Leith Shore. _ truncata, Miiller. Shetland Islands. * First found on the coast of Devonshire, and de« scribed and figured, as above, by Col. Montagu. ON ie ep ae ee BIST OF SCOTTISH VERMES. 559 %#* TESTACEA. CHITON. C. ruber, Fabricius. I found this rare species on rocks in the island of Unst. *** CRUSTACEA. EcHINUS. E. Gidaris, Lin. I found this rare species in the island of Fulah, the most western of the Shetland islands. lacunosus, Lin. Dredged inthe Frith of Forth. spatagus, Lin. Leith Shore and Shetland Islands. placenta. Isle of Fulah.) Very rare, ASTERIAS. A. papposa, Lin. Leith Shore. -- rubens, Lin. Leith Shore, and the islands of Scotland. equestris. Newhaven. Mr Neill. glacialis, Lin. ‘Leith Shore, common. aculeata, Lin, Orkney islands. Spherulata, Lin. Newhaven, common. ophiura, Lin. Leith Shore, Shetland islands. caput-meduse, Lin. In the sea off the Main- land, one of the largest of the Shetland islands ; argus of the Shetland islands. S60 LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMEs, *##**¥ CORALLIA. MILLEPORA. M. compressa. Shetland -islands. | truncata, Lin. Shetland islands. cellulosa, Lin. Shetland islands, and in the island of Fulah. polymorpha, Lin. pd and Shetland sla and Hebrides. pumicosa. Leith Shore and Shetland islands. CELLEPORA. C. pumicosa. Leith Shore. Isis. I. bippuris. Said by the late Dr Walker to occur on the east coast of Scotland, and also in the Orkney islands. ) GORGONIA. G. lepadifera. Found on the coast of Aberdeen- shire, and coasts of Shetland islands. viminalis. Said by Dr Walker to occur in Shetland; and, according to Mr Sowerby, oc- curs in Mount’s Bay, Cornwall; and Colo- nel Montagu found it ie on the coast of Devonshire *. : * Sowerby’s Miscellany, p. 81. LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMES. . 561 Gorconta. G. flabellum. Leith Shore; found by the late Mr Mackay. TuBIPORA. T. catenularia, Orkney and Shetland islands. .serpens. Ibid. fascicularis. Ibid. SPONGIA: S. ventilabrum, Lin.? In the islands of Unst and Fulah, I picked up several specimens of a sponge, which agrees in many characters with the Spongia ventilabrum of Linneus. It has the reticular woody veins, the same kind of spongy covering, and the same ge- neral fan-like shape as the Sp. ventilabrum. The reticular woody fibres point out this as one of the species by which the Sponges are connected with the Gorgonias. It is said by some naturalists, that certain varieties of this species are funnel-shaped: it would seem, however, that these supposed varie- ties belong to a distinct species, which may be characterized thus: Sponcia ZETLAN- pica, venis lignosis reticularis, obtectis poro favagineo. This funnel-shaped sponge is distinguished from Spongia infundibulifor- mis of Linneus, by its reticular woody veins, which are wanting in the other, and Nn 562 “LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMESy » SPONGIA. by the nature of the spongy substealoe aoe covers and connects these veins, which in this species can be rubbed between the fingers when dry; whereas the sponge of the Linnean species is of a flexible elastic nature when dry, and its general consistence approaches to that of the common officinal sponge. Med elles bese eile Lin. ; 8. crateriformis, Pallas. This species is distinguished from that last described, by the want of woody fibres, and the nature of its sponge; but it never splits and assumes ‘the foliaceous aspect, as men- tioned by Gmelin. I tound‘it on the shores of the island of Unst. pulchella, Sowerby *. This delicate sponge occurs on the shores of several of the Wes- tern Isles, where it was first noticed by the late Dr Walker. tomentosa. Leith shore, and Shetland islands. stuposa. Above Queensferry, and Leith shore. palmata. Orkney and Shetland islands. Mer- maids’ slove of the Shetlanders. compressa, Fabricius. Bressay Sound, Shet- land. ALCYONIUM. A. schlosseri. Leith Shore. * Sowerby’s British Miscellany, p, 87. LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMES. = 563 Atcyonrum. | A. eydonium. Island of Fulah and Unst: lyncurium. Island of Fulah. gelatinosum. Leith Shore. digitatum. Leith Shore. FLUSTRA. i foliacea. Leith Shore; Orkney and Shetland ~ islands, and Hebrides. truncata. Leith Shore ; Orkney and Shetland islands, and Hebrides. pilosa. Adhering to fuci, Leith Shore. carbasea. Leith Shore. arenosa? Leith Shore. hispida, Leith Shore. membranacea. Adhering to fuci; Leith Shore, and Orkney islands. lineata. Orkney islands. TUBULARIA. © | T. indivisa. Leith Shore ; Orkney and Shetland islands. | ramosa. Leith Shore; found by the late Mr Mackay. CoRALLINA. C. officinalis. Leith Shore ; Orkney and ree islands, and Hebrides. Nn2 564 LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMEs; SERTULARIA. ate The following species occur on Leith Shore :. S. rosacea. On shells and corallines. pumila. On Fucus serratus. operculata. Generally adhering to shells. abietina. Very common on oyster and muscle shells. cupressoides. : cupressina. Found in deep water, and detach- ed on the shore. argented. rugosa. Adhering to Flustra foliacea, and other ~ corallines. : volubilis. Adhering to flustre and fuci. balecina. Common on oyster shells. thuya. Dredged from deep water. falcata. Covers the concave shells of the com- mon oyster. antennina. From deep water in the Frith. cuscuta. Adhering to fuci. filicula. muricata. Adhering to fuci. uva. Adheres to fuci and corallines. lendigera. Adhering to fuci and corallines. geniculata. On Fucus saccharinus and F. digi- tatus. dichotoma. SPTOIDS co oe cal setacea. On scallop shells. polyzonias. loriculata. LIST OF SCOTTISH VERMES. 565 SERTULARIA. fastigiata. avicularia. Not common. SCTUPOS A. | ciliata. On other sertulariz, fuci, and sponges. eburnea. On shells, fuci, and corallines. nigra, Coast of Aberdeenshire ; Mr Brown. EXE ZTOOPHYTA. PENNATULA. P. phosphorea. Frith of Forth. mirabilis, Muller. Prestonpans Bay. Hypra. H. lutea? Bosc. Adhering to fuci; Frith of Forth. Coryna.—Brugulere. C. squamata, Miller. I found this beautiful spe- cies on the shore of the island of Burra, and on the Holm of Cruster, in Bressay Sound, in Shetland. It was adhering to the Fucus _ digitatus. | Nn 3 [7 BOG ad XXIX. List of Insects found in the Neigh- . bourkood. of Edinburgh. By Mr C. Srewart. M. W. S. [Read 8th April 1809. ] I am about to lay before the Society a catalogue of insects found in the neighbourhood of Edin- burgh. But in doing this, it must not be under- stood that I pretend to give any thing like a com- plete list. Such, in any region, however small, is not to be accomplished by a single person ; at least not without greater attention to the subject, _ and for a much longer period, than I ever t had it in my power to bestow on it. The study of entomology in this place has, I believe, been less cultivated than any other branch of natural history. It can indeed be success- fully prosecuted only by the young, the active, LIST OF INSECTS. 567 and the vacant ; and more than any other objects in the three kingdoms, it requires a strong and acute eye. It is at first, to most people, but little captivating ; or, rather, particularly to delicate people, it has in it somewhat repulsive, and even diseusting. It has likewise little of use to recom- mend it. The principal economical insect is the bee; and though a number of insects may be eaten, yet none can be said to serve as food, ex- cept some species of cancer. The principal of those in use in the arts; are the silk-worm and the cochineal ; and though a number were formerly used in medicine, yet I believe that number. is now greatly reduced, and, except cantharides, used only occasionally, and in small quantity. To the naturalist, however, this study soon re- commends itself. ‘[he subjects of it, when col- lected, are prepared with little trouble ; they are easily kept, and take up but little room in a ca- binet: and whether we consider their figure, their structure, their history, or their most wonderful manners and economy, they claim a distinguished place inthe System of Nature, and in this view of them, the study is exceedingly important. | The neighbourhood of Edinburgh has, I believe, no peculiar insects, and produces very few rare Omes. At. is, rather Poa eaale to the collector, Perhaps.in a place where insects are so perpe- tually disturbed in their retreats, by the incessant overturning of the soil, so necessary and unavoid- able near a large city, this may not be surprising. Nn4 we 568 LIST OF INSECTS: This circumstance may be sufficient to account for the little attention that has been paid to insects by the naturalists of Edinburgh; for I do not know of any person who has ever made any con- siderable collection here. The late Dr Walker had a pretty large cabinet of Scots insects; but I believe he made no collection previous to his leaving the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, and when he returned to it, he had lost that energy necessary for the purpose, orit had been turned to other branches of natural history. My own collection was made in the course of one or two seasons, when the inclination was strong, and my sight good. But it was made only at hours of lei- sure, seized as they could be obtained, without choice, and consequently often unfgvourable for the purpose. ‘The properest places were likewise hardly accessible to me, and the breeding of the insect from the caterpillar, which is the best way of obtaining good specimens, was, in my situation at that time, inconvenient. From these circumstances, it is evident that the following list must be very - defective. All that can be said for it is, that the insects there enumerated are to be found in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh ; but that they are all, or even the hundredth part, of the insects that are there to be found, especially if we take into account -the minuter species, I cannot assert. It may, however, be of use to a beginner, by assist- ing him in the knowledge of the more common insects, In this list, as in nature, the great orders FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 569 of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera are conspicuous. In the latter, particularly in the genus papilio, not only this neighbourhood, but Scotland in ge- neral, is remarkably poor; and yet the Treasurer _ of this Society * has added one, I believe, even to the number of British papilios. The genus of Phalzena is exceedingly numerous, and though a very natural genus, it has been, for the sake of convenience, broken by Fabricius and other en- tomologists, into a number of genera. ‘The indi- viduals here are many of them so delicate, that it is difficult to take a specimen on the wing, with- out injury to its specific characters, and conse- quently, it is not easy to ascertain them properly. I have collected a number of species of this genus, which I could not include in the following list, being so imperfect that the species cannot with certainty be made out. With regard to the nu- merous species of Aphis, Acarus, Pediculus, &c. - I have given no enumeration at all. However. important these may be in the economy of Nature, I believe they are seldom kept in cabinets, or made an object of much attention with the mere entomologist. An asterisk is prefixed to the few species that can be accounted rare. * PaTRIcK WaxkKER, Esq. 570 LIST OF INSECTS | littoralis. COLEOPTERA. SCARAB EUS SILPHA fimetarius, atrata, hemorrhoidalis. thoracica, conspurcatus. rugosa. Fossor. pulicaria. terrestris, CAssIDA stercorarius. viridis. quisquilius. NITIDULA quadrimaculatus. pedicularia. horticola. bi-pustulata. rufipes. CocciInELLA DERMESTES bi- punctata. lardarius. 5-punctata. Pellis. g-punctata. domesticus. 13-punctata. violaceus. 14-punctata. _ sexdentatus. oblongo-guttata. Scarabeoides. 6-pustulata. Prinus 14-guttata. pertinax. CHRYSOMELA Fur. Betule. HISTER fastuosa. ustcolor. vitelline. GYRINUS polygoni. natator, | -polita. ANTHRENUS marginella. Scrophulariz. oleracea. SILPHA tabida. _ Vespillo. nemoruim. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 3492 Hisra pectinicornis. Curcurio badensis. granarius. Pind. 4 * Abietis. argentatus. Ligustici. cervinus. incanus, Viscariz.; Salicis. CERAMBYX ~"* anglicus. Lampyris | noctiluca. CanTHARIs By _ fusca. melanura, zenea, ELATER at) obscurus. pectinicornis. CICINDELA riparia. | ; aquatica. Dyrriscus | neevius. marginalis. semistriatus, cinereus, sulcatus, MELOE 7 Dytiscus minutus, glaber. © bi-punctatus, maculatus. — CarasBus hortensis. leucophthalmus. violaceus. purpurascens. ruficornis. nigricornis. striatus. vulgaris. viridanus. latus. melanocephalus. cephalotes. ferru gineus. sex-punctatus. cupreus. — granulatus. madidus. ustulatus. quadrimaculatus. TENEBRIO Molitor. caraboides. PLMELIA mortisaga, quisquilia. Proscarabzus. 72 MorDELLA aculeata. STAPHYLINUS murinus. olens. ~ maxillosus. brunnipes. BLATTA orientalis. GRYLLUS domesticus. campestris. varius. bi-guttulus. grossus. viridulus. quadratus. CICADA lateralis. viridis. spumaria. albifrons. Ulmi. Rose. NoTONECTA glauca. striata. - Nera cinerea, LIST OF INSECTS STAPHYLINUS | politus. — ™ hypnorum, riparius. ForFIcuLa auricularia. HEMIPTERA. CIMEX lectularius. scarabzoides. Baccarum. juniperus. bicolor. | Hyosciami. apterus. striatus. lacustris. pabulinus. levigatus. dolobratus. ApuHIS Rose; and a great many other species. CHERMES Pini ; ditto. Coccus hesperidum ; ditto. TuRIPs physapus. minutissiina, SO EE eS eae FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. 573 LEPIDOPTERA. PaPiILro PHALENA Brassice: Caja. : Rape. | lubricipeda. Napi. camelina. Cardamines,. graminis. Pamphilus. putatoria. © Hyperanthus. piniaria. | To. repandata. Mera. cuspidata. fE.geria. oblongata. Semele. atomaria. cs Jurtina. betularia. _Urtice. wavaria. C album. plumbaria. Atalanta. cherophyllata, Euphrosyne. grossulariata- Argus. crategata. Artaxerxes. bilineata. Idas. populata. Phleas. chenopodiata. Linea. comitata, Sylvanus. prunata, SPHYNX alchemillata, Populi. fluctuata. Tiliz. didymata, Ligustri. ocellata. Atropos. rectangulata, Filipendule. bidentata. - PHALANA tricuspidata. Vinula, olivata. * bucephala, viridana. 574 LIST OF INSECTS PHALENA avellana. rosana. asperana. heracleana. cynosbana. marginalis. forficalis. proboscidalis. pallens. Pronuba. segetis. Chenopodii., Chrysitis. Gamma. Bractea. interrogationis. Psi, Chi. exoleta. gothica. PHALENA oxyacanthe ‘ polyodon. oleracea. iota. trinervia. longicornis. Pisi. | Cerago. Euonymella. pratella. tapetzella. Cembrella: pellionella. lapella. nisella. didactyla. pentadactyla. hexadactyla. Humuli. NEUROPTERA.—HYMENOPTERA. LIBELLULA Epue vulgatissima. grandis. Virgo. Puella. MERA vulgata, nigra. bioculata, horaria.. PHRYGANEA bicaudata. nebulosa. striata. nigra. variegata. longicornis. flavicornis. ciliaris. \ HeMEROBIUS lutarius, Perla. Chrysops. PANORPA communis. CyNips” Rose. quercus-folii. viminalis. — TENTHREDO viridis. Vitelline. nitens. lucorum. Pini. A bietis. Salicis. livida. sylvatica. Cynosbati. IcHNEUMON extensorius. luctatorius. persuasorius. fossorius. manifestator. OESTRUS — Bovis. Equi. FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. B95 ICHNEUMON delusor. | titillator, u pugillater. luteus. ramidulus, puparum. glomeratus. SPHEX fusca. CHRYSIS ignita. VESPA vulgaris. parietum, fossoria. vaga. muraria. APIS mellifica. terrestris. muscorum. hypnorum. ForMiIcA | | rufa. fusca. DIPTERA. OEsTRUS : hemorrhoidalis. _ Ovis. 576 TIPpuLA rivosa. crocata. oleracea, hortorum: triangularis. variegata. pratensis. regelationis, punctata, plumosa. littoralis. motitatrix. monilis. pusilla. febrilis. vernans. phalenoides. culiciformis. minutissima, lunata. Musca Chameleon. trilineata. anilis. pellucens. meridiana. Cesar. vomitoria. carnaria. domestica, argentata, LIST OF INSECTS |” Musca grossa: — tremula: — | larvarum., | canicularis. meteorica. putris. pumilionis. aurata. * semi-argentata. polita. _ stercoraria. hy osciami. solstitialis. scolopacea. pendula, nemorum. - tenax. TABANUS autumnalis. — pluvialis. czecutiens. CuLEx pipiens. pulicaris, | ciliaris. Epis livida. STOMOXYS a calcitrans. irritans. rostrata. i] } FOUND NEAR EDINBURGH. ASILUS Hiprogposca forcipatus. equina. Oelandicus. hirundinis. ovina. APTERA. PoDURA CANCER plumbea. Depurator. nivalis. Pagurus. TERMES Araneus, fatidicum. horridus, pulsatorium. Bernhardus, PEDICULUS. araneiformis. A great number of spe- Gammarus. cles. Squilla. PULEX Crangon. | irritans, Pulex. ACARUS Locusta. baccarum. stagnalis. muscorum. Mownocuuus holosericeus; and quadricornis. ~ many other species. Pulex. ~ PHALANGIUM Oniscus Opilio. Asilus, ARANEA : Asellus. Diadema. Armadillo, redimita. NCOLOPENDRA domestica, forficata. viatica. JULUS | saccata. terrestris. SCENICA. sabulosus. © CANCER oniscoides. Meenas. -60 577, [573 J XXX. Account of the Balena Mysticetus, or Great Northern or Greenland Whale. By Mr W. Scorzssy jun., M. W.S. | [Read 3d Feb. 1810.] "Tae whale, when full grown, is from 50 to 65° feet in length, and from 30 to 40 in circumference, immediately} before the fins *. It is thickest a_ little behind the fins, and from thence gradually tapers towards the tail, and slightly towards the neck. It is cylindrical from the neck until near. * Tt is said thatthe whale was formerly much larger than it is at present, being sometimes 100 or 120 feet _ long: but the, accuracy of this statement is to be que- stioned; for the largest I.ever heard of being caught did not exceed 70 feet.in length; and this was reckoned a “very uncommon individual. Of about 200 which] have seen taken, not one measured 65 feet in length, aisaongh many of them were full grown. Amey Eeecree ee ee en A ee ee ON THE GREENLAND WHALE. 579 about the junction of the tail and body, where it becomes ridged. | The head hasatriangular shape. The bones of the head are very porous, and full of a fine kind of oil. When the oil is drained out, the bone is so light as to swim in water. The jaw- bones, the most striking portions of the head, are from 20 to 25 feet in length, are curved, and the space between them is 9 or Io feet, by_18 or 20. They give shape to the under part of the head, which is almost perfectly flat, and is about 20 feet in length, by 12 in breadth. The tongue is of great size, and yields a ton or more of oil. The lips, which are at right angles to the flat part of the base of the head, are firm and hard, and yield about two tons of oil. : To the upper jaw is attached the substance called whalebone, which is straight in some indi- viduals, and in others convex. The laminge or blades are not all of equal length; neither are the largest exactly in the middle of the series, but somewhat nearer the throat ; from this point they become gradually shorter each way. In each side of the mouth are about 200 lamin of whalebone. They are not perfectly flat; for besides the longi- tudinal curvature already mentioned, they are curved transversly. The largest laminz are from 1o to 14 feet in length, very rarely 15 feet in length. ‘The breadth of the largest at the thick ends, or where they are attached to the jaw, is about a foot. ‘The Greenland fishers estimate the 00 2 550 ON THE GREEENLAND WHALE, size of the whale by the length of the whalebone: where the whalebone is six feet long, then ;the whale is said to be a size fish. In suckers, or young whales still under the protection of the mother, the whalebone is only a few inches long. The whalebone is immediately covered» by the two under lips, the edges of which, when the mouth is shut, overlap the upper part in a squa- mous manner. On the upper part of the head there is a double opening, called the spout-holes or blow-holes. Their external orifices are like two slits, which do not lie parallel, but form an acute angle with each other. ‘Through these openings the animal. _ breathes. The eyes are very small, not larger than those of an ox; yet the whale appears to be quick of sight. They are situated about a foot above where the upper and under lips join. In the whale, the sense of hearing seems to be rather obtuse. The throat is so narrow as scarcely to admit a. hen’s ege. The fins are from 4 to 5 fect broad, and 8 or 10 feet long, and seem only to be used in bearing off their young, in turning, and giving a direction to the velocity produced by the tail. The tail is horizontal; from 20 to 30 feet in breadth, indented in the me and the two lobes pointed and turned outwards. In it lies the whole © strength of the animal. By means of the tail, the whale advances itself in the water with greater or ON THE GREENLAND WHALE. 5 8t less rapidity ; if the motion is slow, the tail cuts the water obliquely, like forcing a boat forward by the operation of skudling ; but if the motion is very rapid, it is effected by an undulating motion of the rump. The skin in some whales is smooth and shining’; in others, it is furrowed, like the water-lines in laid paper, but coarser. The colour is black, grey, and white, anda tinge of yellow about the lower parts of the head. The back, upper part of the head, most of the belly, the fins, tail, and part of the under jaw, are deep black. ‘The forepart of the under jaw, and a little of the belly, are white, and the junction of the. tail with the body grey. Such are the common co- lours of the adult whale. I have seen piebald whales, Such whales as are below size, are almost entirely of a bluish-black colour. The skin of suckers is of a pale bluish colour. The cuticle, or scarf-skin, is no thicker than parchment; the true skin is irom three-fourths to an inch in thickness all over the body. Immediately beneath the skin lies the d/ubber, or fat, from 10 to 20 inches in thickness, varying in different parts of the body, as well as in diffe- rent individuals. ‘The colour, also, is not always the same, being white, red, and yellow; and it also varies in denseness. It is principally for the blubber ‘that the Greenland fishery is carried on. It is cut from the body inlarge lumps, and carried @03 594 ON THE GREENLAND WHALE, on board the ship, and then cut into smaller pieces. The fleshy parts and skin connected with the blubber are next separated from it, and it is again cut into such pieces as will admit of its being passed into casks by the bung-hole, which is only three or four inches in diameter. In these casks it is conveyed home, where it is boiled in vessels capable of containing from three to six tons, for the purpose of extracting the oil from the fritters, which are tendinous fibres, running in various di- rections, and containing the oil, or rather connect- ing together the cellular substance which contains it. These fibres are finest next the skin, thinnest in the middle, and coarsest near the flesh. ‘The following table shews the quantity of oil a whale of each size of bone will produce at a me- dium :— | 4 Bene 1n Feet. Oil in Tons. I Iz z 3. ° Zz 3 9 4 4 5 z Gis 53 7 7 8 9 9 i ci 10 13 fs II 16 20 ON THE GREENLAND WHALE. 583 The blubber of a sucker, when very young, ‘frequently contains little or no oil, but only a kind of milky fluid; in which case, when the animal is deprived of life, the body sinks to the bottom, as also does the blubber when separated from it $ while the body and blubber of larger individuals, always swim.- Though the preceding statement be exceedingly near the truth, yet exceptions oc- cur; for I have known a whale of 22 feet bone produce ro tons of oil, and one of 12 feet bone estimated at only 9 tons ; such instances are much rarer than to see one of 7 feet bone produce 4 or | 5 tons of oil. The flesh of the young whale is of a fine red colour; that of the old approaches to black, and. is coarse, like that of a bull, and is said to be dry and lean when boiled, because there is but little fat intermixed. with the flesh :-— The following are the dimensions of two diffe- rent whales, taken with accuracy. | Ft. Inch. First. The longest laminz of whalebone, 10 10 Full length, -« : 51 Length of the head, ; arg 16 Diameter-of the body, mn 6 Behind the fins, ‘ 9 or 10 Length of the By Mack 2; ‘Breadth, ai A a. Breadth of the tail, | - / 20 534 ON THE GREENLAND WHALE. fe ot Feet. Depth from the indented part, where the two lobes join, to the junction with the body ’ 2 ‘i 4 Diameter of the body at its junction wiih the tail, perpendicularly, - 25. And horizontally, - ic Second. The largest laminz of the whale- bone, - - l1= Extreme length, - 58 Circumference just behind the fins, 30 or 35 Length of the under-part of the head, IQ | Breadth, . - 12 Length of the jaw-bone, - 23 Length of the fin, - 9 Breadth of the tail, a 24 Thickness of the blubber at a medium g or 10 inches, and of a red colour. Estimated to produce 19 or 20 tons of oil. The food of the whale is generally supposed to consist of different kinds of sepiz, medusz, or the clio limacina of Linnzus; but I have great rea- son to believe, that it is chiefly, if not altogether, of the squillz or shrimp tribe ; for, on examining the stomach of one of large size, nothing else was found in it; they were about half an inch long, semi-transparent, arid of a pale red colour. TI also found a great quantity in the mouth of another, having been apparently vomited by it. When — the whale feeds, it swims with considerable yelo- 4 ON THE GREENLAND WHALE. 585 city under water, with its mouth wide open; the water enters by the fore-part, but is poured out again at the sides, and the food is entangled and sifted as it were by the whalebone, which does not allow any thing to escape. , It seldom remains longer below the surface than twenty or thirty minutes; when it comes up again to blow, it will perhaps remain ten, twenty, or thirty minutes at the surface of the water, when nothing disturbs it. In calm weather, it some- times sleeps in this situation. It sometimes as- cends with so much force, as to leap entirely out of the water; when swimming at its greatest ve- locity, it moves at the rate of seven to nine miles an hour. | Its maternal affection deserves notice. The young one is frequently struck for the sake of its mether, which will soon come up close by it, encourage it to swim off, assist it, by taking it under its fin, and seldom deserts it while life remains. It is then very dangerous to approach, as she loses all regard for her own safety in anxiety for the preservation of her cub, dashing about most vio- lently, and not dreading to rise even amidst the boats.. Except, however, when the whale has young to protect, the male is in general more ac- tive and dangerous than the female, especially males of about nine feet bone. The principal enemies of the whale are. the sword-fish and thrasher. It is probable that the shark is also an enemy to the whale, for it attacks i) / 586 ON THE GREENLAND WHALE. \ the dead carcase ; and the whale is seen to fly those quarters of the sea where the shark abounds. Hitherto no accurate representation of this vast animal has appeared in the writings of zoologists. The drawing here engraved I executed in Green- land, and its accuracy was proved, by finding that it agreed in every particular with the numerous individuals I afterwards ‘met with in the Arctic Ocean. | ee | ; PP? puny AGSP10? § MYL AY pibuq . : 2 "JBG Lf POO 8 UX AYYL 3 ig we ye - ri ° : is < % : wd 8 at Mat ips ey badises % i, S + 4 - - ‘ : ah + 3 s +“ . * a fo : f ’ Uh. i C : z) * Fay Ag t Atay , Ww . 7 . 4 ‘ x ¥ . ' { Fi a 3 . ¥ ¥ : =] Us ; " : | 4 ; ww 7 y ’ r ; ike Alp i) s ; * . i 2 = : : ‘ : ‘ i} . \ 7 4 wt Bt Listes oJ XXXII. Summary of Experiments and Ob-— servations on the Germination of the Gra- _ minea- By Jonn Yue, M.D. Coll. Reg. Med. Soc. Sc. {Read in part 11th March 1809.) Auruoucu the reproductive property of these plants is in a manner. proverbial *, no naturalist has as yet accurately traced the steps by which Nature effects this singular result. Many inte- resting facts, indeed, respecting the. first appear- _* M. Duhamel relates the following, among other in- stances: ‘“* Un seul grain d’orge qui étoit levé par ha- *‘ zard, a produit 200 epis, et environ trente petits tuy- ‘¢ aux qui n’avoient point d’epis. Les grains d’un epi de ‘¢ moyenne grandeur, en continoit 24, ainsi un seul crazn, ‘¢ mis en bonne terre, a produit 4800 grains.” Traité de la Culture de Terres, tom. ii. chap. i. p. 22. 588 ON THE GERMINATION ances, or the germination of seeds in general, have been made known by Malpighi and Grew, and more lately by Gertner ; but these eminent na- turalists, having treated incidentally only of the germination of the seeds of the graminez, and the object of their experiments having been limited chiefly to the first period of this interesting process, the question respecting the more advanced periods still remained to be solved *. Having therefore occasionally repeated some of the experiments of M. Gertner, I was induced to carry them some- what farther ; and thirteen months ago, I had the honour to state to the Society a circumstance il- lustrative of this subject, namely, the presence of a substance between the base of the first seminal bulb (a) and the scutellum of these seeds, differ- ing in structure and use from both, and serving a purpose analogous with the tuberous substance in- terposed between the bulbs and roots of the £7- liacee, and other monocotyledonous tribes. This ’ substance Linnzeus + considered as part of the root of these plants; from which, however, it differs © essentially, being in reality an organ destined to contain an indefinite number of embryo plants, * At this time I was unacquainted with the experi- ments of MM. Mirbel, Poiteaux and Richard on this subject. The last work I have not been able to obtain. + * Radix constat caudice et radicula. Bu/bus est hy- ‘¢ bernaculum caudici descendente RELA ERS. ” Philosophia Botanica, p. 38. & 50. OF THE GRAMINES. 589. a greater or less number of which are subsequent- ly evolved, by the joint agency of the roots and leaves. ‘My experiments were made with the seeds of the different species of grain commonly culti- vated *; but as the result on the whole was simi- lar, those only in which the seeds of Triticum were used shall be stated. Soon after a grain of wheat is committed to the damp earth, it swells, becoming more plump and soft. A protuberance appears at the lower part + of the convex side, which, shooting downwards in the direction of the axis of the seed, bursts through the Testa and the under part of the sheath which envelopes the Seminal Germ (b). ‘This radicle is followed by two others, one on each side ; ‘and at. the same time, the first stem, in the form of a small bulb, shoots upwards from the Tuber, which unites it with the scutellum, in the concavity of which it lies previous to the commencement of germination. Plate XIII. fig. 1. represents these © parts a short time after germinating ; the convex back of the scutellum being separated from the farinaceous perisperm in which it was embedded, and from which it absorbs the first alrment of the infant bulbs. Fig. 2. represents the first plant after’ * Hordeum distichum, and hexastichum, Avena sativa, Triticum hibernum. + The base of a seed is understood to be that part by which it 1s connected with the receptacle of the ma- ternal plant. 590. ON THE GERMINATION piercing the sheath, with a second bulb shoot- ing from the Tuber like the first. Fig. 3. four plants of the second month, with their respective sheaths,-now withered, shot from the same part, the Testa and inner coat of the seed remaining at- tached to them. . | THE COTYLEDON. M. Malpighi, above a century ago, described this organ * ; and M. Geertner has accurately fi- gured it in-the seeds of various genera, and pro- poses it as characteristic of the Graminez +; but he is evidently undecided as to its nature, describ-. ing it at first as the Vitellus of the seed} and after- wards naming it Scutellum Cotyledoneum. Both M. Jussieu t and Mr Brown f, whose opinions are always entitled to great respect, account it the Co- tyledon of the seed. I have removed, repeatedly, the border of the Cotyledon, and the first seminal bulb only continued to grow to the height of five inches in this state, but seemed. somewhat sickly, al- though not finally killed by the operation. The use of this organ is evidently to protect the Tuber and embryo bulbs, and to absorb, and probably to assi- milate, the nutritious matter of the perisperm for © Anatom. Plantar. tom. ii. Pi SG. ri + De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum, Pref. + Genera Plant. Ord. 2.84. Paris, 1789; and Prodromus Flore Nov. Holland. et Insule Van Diemen, vol. i, p. 168. Lond. 1$10,—two works in which the candour and great learning of their respective authors are equally conspl+ cuous, : BSgone dt. £, tA Yi CA Ue: tsO7E 6 a Zi oe gS OF THE GRAMINE®. 591 their use. On removing, in several instances, this organ, with the first bulb attached to it (Plate XIII. fig. 1.) from the perisperm, during the first stage of germination, and planting it in rich damp mould, one plant only germinating, attained the length of six inches, but in a sickly state, and then generally died: some of these, however, survived, and I am convinced. under more favourable cir- cumstances, would have arrived at maturity ; but these experiments plainly proved, that, by thus abstracting its natural aliment, the Seminal Germ is enfeebled, and consequently fewer plants evol- ved. It is surprising that M. Mirbel should have confounded the Gotyledon with the first leaf of these plants, from which it differs totally in situa- tion, structure, and consistence. ‘* Le cotyledon “est visiblement le premier feuille, engaignante ‘“‘ aussi bien que celles qui paroitront ensuite *.” Now although, previous to germination, the border of this organ is in many instances folded over the first bulb, yet the second, shooting from the op- posite side, (Plate XIII. fig. 2.), is altogether un- connected with it. On the other hand, the ker- nelly brittle substance of the cotyledon distin- guishes it at once from the fibrous and more perfectly organized structure of the leaves, and sheaths of the evolved bulbs. THE SHEATHS OF THE SEMINAL BULBS. These sheaths invest the bulbs like the scabbard of asword. They are pierced, first by the radicles, _ * Annales du Museum, 7 année, T. 13. p. 148. 592 ; ON THE GERIMNATION and: afterwards, in the: progress of vegetation, by the point of the first leaf, (Pl. XIII. fig. 2.) which previously appears of a green colour through their substance. M. Gertner names the sheath “ va-" “* gina cotyledonia,’’ (as he observed only one) 5 but in reality the sheaths have no analogy with the scutellum or Cotyledon: every one of the se- minal bulbs having one proper to itself, whereas there is but a single Cotyledon. On the other hand, these sheaths have the closest analogy with the involucra of the buds of the stem, with this difference, however, that the latter (in such ge-. nera as | have examined, as Avena, Arundo, and Poa,) are open towards the point; whereas the sheaths of the seminal bulbs are entire, until pierced by the first leaf. ; THE SEMINAL TUBER. M. Mirbel, in a memoir read before the Insti- ute of France *, on the Germination of the Gra- minez, notices this part, without however ascer- taining its use. ‘* La plumule et la radicule sont ‘¢ unies par l’intermediaire d’un noeud charnu ; ce ‘‘renflement se prolonge asa base en un petite “sac, dans lequel est renfermé la radicule.”’ This “ noeud charnu,’”’ however, as I have already * Annales du Museum, t. xui. 2d & 3d cahiers, ‘y année. M. Gertner also indistinctly refers this or- gan to the ‘ indivise cotyledones :’*—* nihil aliud sunt © quam zpse scapus embryonts.’’—Pref. chap. xlix. = OF THE GRAMINEX. 593 observed), serves a purpose much more important in the economy of these plants, than producing the radicles, or “‘ les racines articulaires,’’ as M. Mirbel terms them. The seminal Tuber is indeed analogous with those of the stem, both being the organs in which the bulbs of these plants are form- ed and matured ; but the “ racines articulaires’’ of M. Mirbel are in reality young plants, (Pl. XIII. figs. 2. and 3,), the roots of the Graminez being invariably fibrous. Offsets from the seminal tuber indeed sometimes put on the appearance of roots ; but a closer examination, as they advance in size, proves them to be the stems of young plants *. It is singular that M. Poiteau, in a memoir in other respects highly valuable, published in the same Journal, (cahiers 3. and 4.), should have mistaken the rudiment of the second seminal bulb (Pl. XIII. fig. 2.) for another cotyledon, and from this circumstance inferred, that the Grami- nez were nearly related to dicotyledonous plants : «* Siles.graminées se rapprochent les cyperacées par Pp * It is ina great measure by means of these lateral ‘shoots, and their tubera, that bushes, consisting of from sixty to several hundred stems, originate from one seed. The production of these offsets is frequently accidental : If the seed be buried under a stone, or an indurated lump of clay, the seminal bulbs cannot shoot to the surface, but stems are sent off, in a horizontal direction, asin Tri- ticum repens, until they effect their escape upwards. 594 ON THE GERMINATION “le porte, les feuilles, et les fleurs, elles s’en eloig- * nent considerablement par leur embryon, qui ‘‘ paroit avoir tres grand rapport avec celui de di- “‘ cotyledones *.”” But having traced the growth of this supposed cotyledon from its first becoming visible, to its final developement as a plant, and taking for granted, as admitted by M. Poi- teau himself, the analogy of the scutellum of the Graminez with the double cotyledon of di- cotyledonous plants, I should on the contrary conclude, that no other tribe is more decidedly monocotyledonous: nor is the distinction less evi- dent in other parts of the seminal germ and evol- ved plants. In the first, there is neither rostel- lum nor plumula squamosa, and in the second nei- ther concentric circles nor reticulated wood ; their stems consisting of cylinders entirely hollow, ex- cept where interrupted by the tubera, in the tro- pical species chiefly, approaching to the density of common wood. In short, neither the arbo- rescent Ferns, as described by M. Plumier, nor the Palms, as was demonstrated by the late vene- rable Daubenton7+, or the Smilacez, Liliacee, and various other tribes, accurately examined by M. Defontaines, do in fact afford a more striking * Annales du Museum, (Lu 4 la classe de Sciences Phy- siques, de I’Institute, 31. Octobre 1808). + Mém. del’ Academ. de Sctences, 1790; on the Datg Palm. | -@F THE GRAMINES. 595 contrast with dicotyledonous plants than the Gra- minez. Supposing the description of the parts of the seminal Germ I have given is correct, it is plain, that the definition of these by the celebrated au- thor of the Philosophia Botanica does not apply to those of the Graminez *. Not to mention that the seminal germ in the latter contains several di stinct bulbs or plantules, two of which are visible during the first period of germination, the organ from which these germinate is altogether omitted. But allowing that the term “ plumula squamosa’’ were applicable to the sheathed stem of the bulbs, there is, as already observed, no “ rostellum sim- ** plex descendens,”’ the under part of their sheaths (in ‘Triticum homogeneous with the inner coat of the seed), investing the fibrous roots: for a time only, soon decays, permitting the latter to diverge, and to descend deeply into the soil. In short, this definition, including the Germ of dicotyle- donous seeds chiefly, is inapplicable to that of the Gramineze, and probably of the Cyperacea, Iridex, Liliacez, and other kindred tribes. ‘* Sed demon- “ stratio longé est optima experientia :—nam si ‘‘ traducatur ad alia que similia existimantur, nisi Ep: 4 * « Corculum nove plante rudimentum; plumula ‘‘ pars corculi squamosa adscendens ; rostellum pars cor- ‘‘ culi simplex descendens.’’—-PAz/, Bot. p. 52. 596. ON THE GERMINATION — “‘rité et ordiné fiat illa traductio, res fallax 4 ests) EE alate oi che a a THE TUBERA OF THE STEM in these plants resemble in every respect that of the seminal germ, which is in fact the first of the series. These are most numerous to- wards the lower part of the stem, which, in * most of the genera, is more or less procum- bent ; in some species, as in Triticum repens, ene under the soil, and in others, as Agrostis stolonifera, along the surface, but always becoming more or less erect when the panicle or spike is about to make its appearance, the tapering stalk of which shoots from the last tuber of each series. I have already observed, that the involucra of the bulbs of the stem being divided, differ from the entire sheaths of those of the seminal germ. They resemble imperfect leafits, which soon wither. The bulbs, protected by the sheathing base of the leaves of the maternal plant, first germinate from the tubera at the lower part of the stem, where they first arrive at maturity ; those in the upper part seldom producing branches, unless there is sufficient .moisture to promote the emission of roots. In such species, however, as have pros- trate stems, whether subterraneous or not, plants are at all times produced. In the rainy au- tumn ba last year, I counted fifty brariches from * Nov. Organ. lib. 1. p. 392; OF THE GRAMINEX. S97 one tuber of the T. repens; no root was pro- duced, the stem being raised from the soil. In April last, I planted a part of the stem, nine inches in length, of Poa trivialis, in a moist situation, the lowest tuber just beginning to send forth roots. At midsummer, ove hundred and seventy plants and branches were produced, covering about a square yard of surface! In the more erect species, (as the Cerealia), the stem generally dies, after producing ripe seeds; and these have therefore, though inaccurately, been accounted annual or biennial: but this is by no means uniformly the case, and a more exact at- tention to what really happens, renders it pro- bable, that the whole of the Graminez are, under certain circumstances, perennial *. _ Plate XIV. fig. 4. represents a specimen of T. hi- bernum, with young plants of the third year shot from the tubera of the stubble of the past season. This property is common to the cultivated species of barley and oats, which I have repeatedly obser- ved produce plants during a moist autumn from the stubble, when the field had been sown with hay seeds; and 1n those spikes whose shoots were observ- able among the crop early in the following season, the seeds ripened some time sooner than those of PP * Poa rigida is the only exception I have hitherto met with: whether this be owing to the dry situation in which it grows, remains to be ascertained, 598 ON THE GERMINATION the spring sown grain. Such shoots bear trans plantation remarkably well: some of them, after being kept in a moist state, in a tin-box, for upwards of a week, were in May planted ina garden at Warriston, and in the beginning of Au- gust produced ripe seeds.—I am perfectly aware that these facts are rather curious than of appa- rent utility. Of this the practical farmeris the best. judge.. VIVIPAROUS GRASSES. There is yet another manner in which these’ interesting plants, so necessary to the subsis- tence of man and animals in general, are repro- duced. The grasses, in the opinion of Linnzus, form nearly a sixth part of the plants which adorn the surface of the earth; but there is reason to suppose that the proportion is much greater. In the climates of the temperate zone, nine-tenths of the plants spontaneously produced, exclusive of the cultivated species, are Graminez or Cyperacez. In exposed alpine situations, as on the summits of our highland mountains, it may well be imagined, that the seeds of the hardiest species seldom ripen, and that the mountain verdure, in addition to va- rious Cyperacee, is chiefly supported by offsets from the stems of the Festuce, Aire, and Pox. In many ite} FuXlV, P 599. ; | Ss seg a a ; / A ve ‘ : 4 2 a : f i Foe Ch Jeibes Soret A ' S24, We OF THE GRAMINEX: 50¢ Instances, however, living plants dre produced from tubera in the panicle itself, without the interven- tion of seeds. I have repeatedly examined these plants, both as they appear on their native moun- tains, and when transplanted into the more genial soil of the garden. Plate XIV. fig. 5. represents the first shoot from the panicle of a mountain species of Aira, which-seem tb be a variety of A. flexuosa of “ Flora Britannica *.”’ This is the general sey * a the first plant 1e viviparous spikelet in this species, towards middle ef June, on first shooting from the rolled base of, the uppermost leafiof the maternal plant. ‘he ‘calycine valves aré somewhat en- larged, but never put on the appearance of leaves. In most instances, the external valye of each floret only vegetates, serving as the first and second leaf of the first plant. Plate XIV. fig. 6, represents two plants of a viviparous spikelet of another species of Aira, viz. A. cespitosa, in the nonth of July, (from my friend Mr Neill’s gardemat Canonmills, where it has grown several ycars without forming seeds), with a second plant shot bythe side of the other, bent down, in order to shew that both valves of a fi ét sometimes remain, like the other LP p ay @ The pecimen in my possession is apparently variety 6 of Flora, Britannica, become viviparous. In most. re- spects, the A.levigata, figured as a new species, 2102. English Botany, resembles this grass. 600." ON THE GERMINATION - parts of fructification, abortive. On the other side, the external valve of the floret, now become the first leaf, is folded down, to shew the inner valve, in its original state. On examining a vi- viparous specimen of Poa alpina, brought among other plants last summer from Iceland by Sir George Mackenzie and his party, I found, in se- veral instances, both valves of the florets, on each side, in the lowest part of the spikelet, like the other parts of fructification, abortive, and a plant ‘shot from between them ; the germination of buds. from the panicle taking place independent of the conversion of the floret-valves into leaves. It is evident, that Linnzeus had formed no settled opt- nion as to the nature of this process: ‘*‘ Germen,’’ he observes, ‘‘ in folia immediaté procrescat *.”” And afterwards, “ Numne germen absque fce- “‘ cundatione in rudimento novi germinis excres- ‘““cat +??? Now, supposing this question were an- swered affirmatively, What is the nature of this: new germen, producing a progeny without pol- len? It must necessarily differ from the first: . For “ Ovum non foecundatum germinare, negat “‘ omnis experientia]{.’’ In fact, no new germen is formed. But the resources of Nature, or ra- a ve pe Te Acad, vol. vil.. Fundamenta Agrosto- graph. (Henrico Gaghn.) + Nova genera Graminum, (Erico Nzzen.) t Pbilosopbia Botan. v. 138. OF THE GRAMINER. Gor ther the Great Author of life, are unlimited! On the summits of mountains, and in the frozen regions of the poles, vegetable life is necessarily languid. The parts of fructification, therefore, either are imperfectly formed, or entirely abortive. Were seeds even produced, from the deficiency of light and heat, they could scarcely be perfected : but for the evolution of buds, the stronger in- fluence of the sun is not wanted; and it is highly probable, that the few plants that linger in a half torpid state, in those dreary abodes of almost per- petual winter, are reproduced by buds only. In the viviparous grasses, I have traced the or- gin of these buds, which shoot from succulent tu- bera like those of the stem, terminating the peduncle within the calycine valves. In short, the PROPER RECEPTACLES of these plants, not only as in ordinary circumstances, produce the parts of fructification, but when these are, through the influence of cli- mate, rendered abortive, supply their place by an > indefinite number of buds or bulbs, in the same manner as the tubera of the stem, with which the Receptacles of these plants have the closest analogy. Of the production of bulbs from the recep- tacle, we have several instances, in different ge- nera of the Liliacee ; but this process is most evident in various species of Allium. In these, not only the common, but the Proper Receptacles of individual florets, are studded with numerous 602 ON THE GERMINATION bulbs, the florets becoming generally abortive. In many instances, I have observed three of these bulbs only, corresponding with the three cells of the capsules of this genus ; and, from their external ap- pearance, supported by peduncles, lat first supposed _ them to be the latter, containing ripe seeds ; but. on a closer examination, I found the receptacles crowded with bulbs, and others germinating from the tubera of those first evolved. The plant in Mr Neill’s garden retains the size and original aspect of A. czespitosa, the panicle itself being above twelve inches in length; the calycine valves and peduncles of the young shoots being smooth ; and the hairs, so evident at the base of the floret-valves in fig. 5., are wanting in this species. Nor does the mountain plant, when cultivated, according” to Mr Don, attain one-half the size of A. czs- pitosa. ‘There can be no doubt, therefore, of two distinct species of Aira being viviparous ; but not- withstanding the respectable authority of Dr Smith, I should hesitate to consider either of them. but as varieties of the common plants. The number of shoots from one panicle is in some instances incredible. ‘They soon become too great a burden for the maternal stalk, which; bending under the daily increasing weight, falls towards the earth and soon dies, leaving its off- spring to shift for themselves. Numerous roots now shoot from below, and more bulbs germi- OF THE GRAMINER. = 607 nating laterally, the progeny from the Proper Re- ceptacle of a single floret, in a moist season, to- wards the end of November, has the tufted caspi- tose appearance characteristic of the maternal plant. - In calling your attention to these facts, I have, as carefully as possible, observed Nature with my own eyes, endeavouring at the same time to fol- low the advice of a great master in physical science : ‘‘ Sit nec NOVITATIS, N€C ANTIQUITATIS sectator + “ nec contradicendi licentiam, nec auctoritatis ser~ “ vitutem amplectatur.’” EXPLANATION OF TERMS. (a) The first Seminal Bulb. 1 have ventured to use this term in preference to Corculum, Plan- tula seminaks, and Embryo, which seem to me to convey an incorrect idea of what is merely the first bulb of the sced in these plants. Priority of evolution certainly does not imply the derivation of the existence and form of the secondary bulbs from the first one, as these terms would seem to take for granted. In fact, the seeds of plants, by a false analogy, have been imagined to resemble, more than they really do, the ova of animals. The latter, however, except in certain anomalous eases, contain only one individual; whereas the seeds of plants,-in numerous instances, contain several in- 604 ON THE GRAMINEA. dividuals. In the Graminee, and there is reason to suppose in various conterminous Tribes, these’ individuals germinate from the kernelly substance, which I have termed the Seminal Tuber. (6) In these plants, the Seminal Germ includes the Scutellum or Cotyledon, and the Tuber, with’ one or more bulbs, (one only being visible at first), germinating from it, with their respective stems’ and radicles, (Plate XIII. fig. 3. and 2.) { 605 ] XXXII. Account of the Coal Formation at Durham. By THomas Mackenzig, Esq. [Read 19th November 1808.} T HE district on which the city of Durham is si- tuated, is composed of floetz and alluvial rocks. The alluvial substances are sand and coal; and of these the former is the most abundant. The floetz rocks belong to the series denominated by Werner the Independent Coal Formation *, and which has been considered as the oldest of ne coal forma- tions+. My investigations did not extend so far { x * Jameson’s Mineralogy, vol. iii. p. 179. + It would appear. from the Notes in Dr Anderson's. . Translation of Von Buch’s account of Landeck, that this 606 ON THE COAL-FORMATION as to enable me to ascertain its relations with any of the older formations that may occur ina greater or lesser distance from this district. The beds and strata do not differ from those that occur in this for- mation in other parts of the globe where it has been hitherto found: thus, it contains sandstone, bitumi- nous shale, slate-clay, clay-ironstone, greenstone, limestone, and coal. ‘The limestone is sometimes vesicular, and the vesicles afe lined with crystals of calcspar; and the clay-ironstone frequently con- tains impressions of ferns. ‘The sandstone is some- times intermixed with coal, and contains portions of clay- ironstone, in the form of branches and reeds. In several places, the strata and beds are tra- versed. by veins, composed of a clayey basis, in- cluding fragments of sandstone, and sometimes small portions of lead-glance. Veins of green- stone are said to occur in some parts of the di- strict, but I had not an opportunity of seeing any of them. The following section of the formation, as seen on the banks of the river Wear, and which cor- | point is not yet ascertained. If acoal formation, as men- ae tioned by Karsten, and other mineralogists, does occur under the old red sandstone, we may expect to find many extensive deposits of this valuable mineral, in the red sandstone that skirts so great an extent of the Highlands of this country, and which in particular abounds so much in the county of Gaithness. , tg he 121 dae 0 AT DURHAM. 60% xesponds to that in the pit named Keepier, will afford a more particular illustration of the coal formation of this district. It contains all the rocks occurring in the district, except limestone, which is frequently found immediately below the soil, in beds of considerable thickness. I have given both the names applied to the various rocks by the col- liers, and those employed by Werner and by Pro- fessor Jameson in his System of Mineralogy. Section of the Coai-Formation at Durham. wn ; E NAMES. Thickness. oe ES TT OS ca os COLLI+RS. WERNERIAN. Fath.| Ft[In. : } Soil, ecG.. i. - ~ 2° revo 3 | Broken post, - Much rent sandstone, I |olo 4 | Grey metal, - Very friable sandstone,| 1 | o|lo 5 | Post, . < Sandstone, - Bul.o lo & | Grey metal, .« Friable sandstone, Pte ho Whinstone, - Greenstone, - Otee\\o 7 i 8 9 P Coarse post, Coarse sandstone, 8 lojo 12 13 14 15) 16 ae a : 18 $Fine post, te Fine sandstone, elo 19 | | 20 = = 608 ON THE COAL-FORMATION AT DURHAM, E NAMES. Aiipieness. Rem (panei Aaah LAWL NARS. SS ARE |) SOLER Ss. WERNERIAN. pet) Fath, Aft. |1n.1 In. | 292 Post, ie a eat pani contains | carbonized casts 2 oe tire oral vegetables, | A limestone coal, | 3 fe a 424 Bituminous shale, 4 fo) o | G2 Thill, ‘ oi Slate-clay, fo) o}] 64 aes metal, L Friable Séadatorial I o} O4 Ironstone, Clay-ironstone, Oo °o | 2 Friable sandstone, con- | | Grey metal, with taining galls of iron- 2 o | 0 ironstone galls, nih one, * Coal, ~,. « | Slate- coal, i hae o |Io ink metal. } Slate-clay, containing " ea ironstone galls, Coal, fe | Slate-coal, ee S) ont 8 | Blue metal, Slate- hy. . fe) 2°} 0 Ironstone, Clay- ironstone, fe) o | 2 30| Blue metal, late-clay, ‘ I oF o ae ‘| 35 Sheu (post), 1 alae : 9 2 3° | | | | Slate-coal, having a cons Main coal, } siderable portion of ° 4]10 . pitch-coal intermixed, : Thill, - | Bituminous shale, l oi3 i Ss i aon] { Slate-coal, earthy mat- Pas A hikes Ke meee? ter intermixed, i ‘ ot a | Thill, &c, : | Ce j # 40 lo q Main Dip, about 14 in 9 towards E. Side Dip, about 4 in 9 towards 5. [ 609 4 XXXIII. Meteorological Observations on a Greenland Vouage, in the Ship Resolution, am the Year 1810. By Mr WILLIAM SCORESBY jun. [Read 24th November 1810.] In the following Table, the column of Ther- mometer, or Temperatures, shows the mean tem- perature of two, three, or four observations, as spe- cified by the figures preceding the height of the thermometer. This mark *, applied to the Latitude, signifies that: it is by observation of some of the heaven bodies, consequently accurate. The column of Longitude cannot be much de- pended upon. ag f [ ; Orag): Meteorological Journal of a 29°97’ N Everly | 30 10) NE-erly, a 29 96 sel bes = aa g 80 E.erly 29 97| «toN E.erly 30 08| NEtoNNE 3c 20] NNEtoSE 30 17| Always calm 29 97| Very variable 29 92} NNW. WS W 144? 6 | 14°37 E. .|73.41 |16 oF. 30 07| . W.erly, calm 29 72| SE&StoE 29 58| Eto NE, &c. 29 97| Nor NNW 30 02| N.erly, variable 30 23 Calm, SE 29 40| to NW.erly 29 ‘57 Ditto 29 80| N W or Neerly 29 90} N W or W.erly 29 g2/WSW.SW, &e. t | gd Og Always 21 236 o4|N N W. to BE, &c. 29 97| SSEta ENE 29 99; N E.erly or N 30 05 N E.erly 29 98 \N Everly, variable |... Oy Ditto i 29 50| Do. and N.erly 39 00 Do dat). ott 30 18 N.erly 3¢ 27| Do. variable 30 34| Wariable, calm 30 33; WorN E.erly 30 34 WAG to: Bi P* Grn. | Greenland Voyage, 1810. Of the Clouds. Ctrength of Winds.|—-—-—- Strong or hard gales 10.| Fresh or It. breezes |Aliday} Nimbus. i1.'Lt breees, str. gales Nimbus Nimbus. g ce AQ 9. 12.| Strong gales 13-! Do. or mod. breezes 14.|Fresh gales, squally 15-| Do or light airs 16.) Light airs, or calm 17.|Fr. breezes, squally x3. Fr. gales, lt. breezes Nimbus. Nimbus. Nimbus. Nimbus. Nimbus.- 19-| Lt. breezes or calm Cirro-stratus. 20. Lt. breezes, fr. gales8 Am. 21.| Strong gales Morng 22. Fr. or light breezes |r1 Pm 23.| Light breezes, var. 24. Do. or fresh gales |zcAm 25. Strong gales or calm 26.; Do. or mod. breezes 27.' Light or fr. breezes |Allday 28. Mod. or light do. 29. Do. calm or fr. br. 30. Light or fr. breezes | Allday 1.' Do calm or str. gales/Morng. 2. Str. gales, lt. breezes} Noon. 3.| Lt. breezes, st. gales) Noon. 4.'Str. gales, mod. br. | 9 Pm. 5.| Lt. airs, brisk gales}1 Am. 6.| Fresh er strong gales Cirrus. Cirrus, &c. Cirrus, &c. Ca@trus, &c. Cirro cumulus Nimbus, Nimbus. Nimbus. Nimbus, Nimbus, Stratus. R> ~ Owe Cumulus. 9.1" Ditto 8.| Fresh gales. Allday| Nimbus. 9.| Ditto Do. | Nimbus. 10.| Mod. or fr. breezes |Morng.| Nimbus. ° 11.) Lt, airs, and calm 12.| Calm or fr. breezes |10 Pm.| Nimbus. 43.| Brisk or strong gales|Aliday| Nimbus, LN Co Aqueous ‘ieteors, Time. | Modifications. Cirro-cum. &c.| Snow showers. | Do and uncrystal. Cirro-cumulus.| A few sh. cryst.sn Cirro-cumulus.| Fair, pretty clear Cirrus, nimbus.| Do. crystallised. Stratus, cumul.| A few snow show. Cirrus, nimbus. Srl &c, PU ETT eee Show. uncryst. sn. show. cryst. snow. Ditto Some show. snow. Show. cryst. snow. Showers of do. Ditto Ditto Chiefly fair. Constant cryst. sn. Frost rime, fair. Snow show. or fair Coarse cryst. snow. A very little snow. Show. cryst. snow. » Ditto Much sn. uncryst. Thick snow show. Much cryst. snow. Snow showers. Do. roughly cryst. Clear or cloudy. Cloudy, snow. sh. Snow show. cryst. Do. do. Do. do. Fair and clear. Chiefly fair. Cryst. snow in sh. | Dates. Mayz4. 15. ro. 14. 18. a 612 |] Meteorological Journal of a Lat. | Longitude 78° 48's pee ee 79 Oo 5 OF. 78 45 | 4 30£, fo. a@e:. | a On. 70), 25. bm Do By 48 ac¥1° i. 59 i i 9 Ei TO dso des’ 00 E. "Q 20) | 3 30 E. 79 15 | 3 50 at 3 ya ‘ E. “8 53° E pee tee BAAR ie: i But 3 28 a 5.) hee OURS IO: AS) 4h 8. 50 E. | Bd. SOuAn Bm FO 2 ae NA 3 e Ba BAe 4!) OK. i Ai.) 3°36 a 79 15 8° Os. 43 12 3 20 E. 7B, Oy 4g 20.80, ig Aare is LO af Oo ©. 7 55° : ‘ E. 77 Age Sa = Th 49°)|) 3 OB. V7 4Fe 13 10 E. G22 4Jo0V, 3 4° a TIOBQGdT 3 Otay 77> 55d) 3 10 EY FL 59% 3° 40-8. Sapligesty 4 30. ie a 3. 20° 8, web YPwWWNHYw bP HP YW YP YW bv PY bp ww Ww & W WH BW LH H GH W W W WD Ww Therm. Nos. Deg. 154 oy ew 197 10% 17 z 17z 2 19; 20 ed bide ia Winds. noon. 30°35/| Nor NbW qo OF} ‘N.erly 29 606 |NbWorNNE 2g 87 'N E.erly 29 89 | N Everly, variable 29 84 Ditto | 29 97 INNE& variable 29 88 | Do W.erly, var. 29 64 S W.erly 29 58| DoNEorE 29 QI N E.erly 30 02 | DotoNN W 29 95 to N W 29 72 | N E.erly, variabl 29 98 | E.erly, variable 30 12 |DoN Everly, &c. 29 75 55 W 29 447 N.erly 30 04 | NbW. S.erly 29 86| ESEtoNE 29 89 | NEtoNbE 29 94]. N.erly 29 go to N E.erly 29°79 N-erly 29 73| NNEorN 29 74 |NbEtoNNW 29 64 N W.erly © 29: 73 Do variable: 29 83 INNW&WbN- 29 87 | to 5S W.erly, var. 29 86 |S W.erly, variable 30 09 | Very variable 30 15 Do calm 30 25 | S Wor Weerly |, 30 20 _ Ditte ¢ 2975 | Rowariable } Eth a a GG Pe fo cae | Greenland Voyage, 1810. 2 | Strength of Winds, |——-——_——-—-__—_-- Q | Time.| Modifications. 14-| Brisk or strong gales}1o Am.| Cirrus, &c. 15-| Do. or strong gales |rcAm.| Cir.-cum,. &c. | 16-| Ditto 6 Am, Cirrus, nimbus. as Ditto most d.| Cirrus, nimbus. 18.| Fresh breezes Allday| Nimbus. 19-| Ditto Morng.| Nimbus. 20.| Do. or light breezes| Noon.| Cirro-cum. &c. 21.| Lt. airs, or mod. br. |4 A m. | Cirro-cumulus. 22.| Mod.breezes,fr.gales} most d.| Nimbus. 23.| Calm, or do. Allday} Nimbus. 24.| Brisk gales Do. | Nimbus. 25.| Brisk do. & squally|Morng.| Nimbus, 26.| Fr. gales or It. br. | 6 Am.| Cirrus, &c. 27.| Light airs 3 Pm. | Cirrus, &c. 28.) Incl. to calm, It. br. | 2 Am.| Nimbus. Fr. breezes, It. airs .| Fresh gales 31.| Calm or fresh gales |Midnt. 1.| Do. do. Noon, 2.| Mod. br. light airs 3.| Ditto Morng: 4.| Moderate breezes |most d. 5.| Ditto Ditto 6,| Light breezes Ditto 7,.| Mod. br. str. gales |Morng. 8,| Brisk or str. gales |10 Pm. g.| Fresh gales most d,. to.|Calm or mod. br. |Morng. .| Light breezes 4 Pm. .| Light airs Lt. or mod. breezes .| Light airs or calm .| Do. or mod. breezes Fresh gales .| Do. & mod. breezes | Night. 1 Sat Of the Clouds. Nimbus. Nimbus. Nimbus. Cirrus. Cirro-stratus. Nimbus, &c. Ice blinks. Nimbus- Nimbus. Cirro-cumulus. Cirro-cum. &c. Nimbus. Nimbus. Cirro-stratus. Nimbus. Cirro-stratus. Nimbus. |Allday| Nimbus. Do, or mod. breezes |Eveng.| Nimbus. Aqueeus Meteors, &e. Cryst. snow in sh. Show. cryst. snow. A few ditto Ditto Show. cryst. snow. Some ditto Some ditto Fair, pretty clear. Show. cryst. snow. Do. rough eryst. Do. cryst. snow. Do. do. Some do. do, Do. perfect cryst. Chiefly fair. Some snow show. Snow showers. Chiefly fair & cl. Fair and clear. Show. rough cryst. Do. small uncryst. Fair. Some showers sn, Do. rough eryst,. Chiefly fair. Showers of snow. Ditto Some few ditto Fair. Hazy showers. Fine clear weather. Some fog showers. Fair. A very little snow. Small snow show. Fog or snow show. [ 6ugyh i ae Meteorological Journal of a Therm. - Dates. Lat. |Lon gitude Nos. Deg.; Janerg. P¥8 Pcie! 13% 4 9) Ba) gies aci77 58 | 3 58 E.| 3 33 | 254 wp 13 4A Ft Baie Calm, NEbDE 22.(77 50 | 4.10 E.| 2 2921209 80 IN E-erly tam b VW, 23.\96 ss |7 30 E.} 2.304130 661] IY Vom Milcaly a 24 76 40116 36 Eat) 2.0 oae | ganna to S.erly : 25-/70 10 14-0 FE.) 2 wane | 30 4. Bee 26.195) 40,11 (6 to Eat. “a nga | 2on ae to S W or W =e Ai MT ge Nite aie vif oh 2 32 |29 86 N W to S W | In the foregoing Table, the column of the Mo- dification of the Clouds is conducted in the man- ner advised by Luke Howard, Esq; in his “ Essay “on the Modifications of Clouds,’”’ published in Nicholson’s Journal for. 1803. Some short expla- nation of the terms employed seems necessary. 1. Cirrus consists of parallel diverging fibres, extensible in all directions; being the highest and least dense clouds. ‘ : 2. Cumulus is a conical heap, increasing upwards — from a horizontal base; forming the densest clouds. ‘7 3. Stratus, a wide continuous horizontal sheet, | increasing from below ; such as mists, &c. - These Eeeas' ty | Greenland Voyage, 1810. Of the Clouds. 2 Strength of Winds, ——--—-——-—-—_-—- tor uN eoaeas Q Time. | Modifications. y 1g.|Strong or It. breezes} 2 Am.|/Citrus. Some snow show. 22.] Light breezes, calm Fair. 21.|Calm or mod.breezes Ice blinks. Fair, but cloudy. 22.| Mod. or freshbreezes Ditto Fair and cleat. 23.|Fr. or mod. breezes Do. clear. 24.|Light airs or calm Nimbus. Show. cryst, snow. 25.|Do. to fresh gales { Noon.| Nimbus. | Ditto 26.|Fresh breezes or do. Nimbus, &c. |Snow or fog show, 27.1/Str. gales, mod. br. Nimbus. Small snow show. - These Mr Howard considers as simple modifi- cations.’ The intermediate modifications are, 4. Cirro-cumulus, small roundish masses, in ho- rizontal arrangement, close together. 5. Cirro-stratus, horizontal attenuated undu- lated masses, or groups of such small clouds. . 6. Cumulo-stratus, the above blended with the cumulus ; or the cirro-stratus forming a broad base to the cumulus. 7. Gumulo-cirro-stratus, or Nimbus, the rain- cloud ; ahorizontal sheet, having the cirrus above, and the cumulus entering it laterally and from beneath. 7 | Qq 4 [ 616} XXXIV. Analysis of Compact Felspar from Pentland Hills. By Cuartes Mackenzie, M. D. [Read 24th November 1810.] Tu country around Edinburgh, in a mineralo- gical point of view, is one of the most interesting in Scotland. No fewer than three of the univer- sal formations occur within a few miles of the city, namely, transition, oldest coal, and newest jleetz trap. Much of the lower and flatter part of the country is occupied with coal and newest flatz érap formations; but the higher parts contain, besides these, considerable portions of transition rocks. ‘The Pentland Hills, from which the fel- spar that forms the subject of this paper was ob- ‘tained, constitute the highest ground near Edin- burgh, rising in some places, Loganhouse Hill, for example, to the height of 1700 feet above the level of the sea. This elevated tract, according to the examination of Professor Jameson, contains COMPACT FELSPAR OF PENTLAND HILLS. 614 transition and floetz rocks of different kinds. The transition formation constitutes the fundamental rock, which consists of grey wacke, grey wacke- slate or transition-slate, displayed in vertical strata. Over these, apparently in an uncenformable and overlying position, oceur rocks of conglomerate, sandstone, trap-tuff, a tuff with a base of claystone, claystone, compact felspar, porphyroid, or porphy- ritic claystone, clinkstone, basalt and greenstone. It does not appear that Professor Jameson has hitherto ascertained whether these flcetz strata constitute one or more different flcetz formations. . ~One of the most striking rocks in the above described series is the compact felspar, which oc- curs so abundantly in some places as to form near- ly the whole mass of several hills. The specimen employed for analysis exhibited the following characters. Its colour was flesh red, its fracture minute foliated, its internal lustre glimmering, its frag- ments sharp-edged; it was translucent on the edges, semi-hard, brittle, fragile; its specific gra- vity was 2.497. The Pentland Hills exhibit the first known example of compact felspar constituting moun- tain-masses. The same subspecies occurs also in primitive country, in beds, from one to eight or ten feet thick, as at Coriarick, and other parts of the Highlands of Scotland. It occurs also in tran- sitzon mountains in the south of Scotland. But in neither of these situations is it so abundant as in 618 © ANALYSIS OF COMPACT FELSPAR the flcetz formation which we have just mention- ed. | | As this rock is interesting in an economical, as well as mineralogical point of view, being em- ployed as an ingredient in porcelain, I was in- duced to undertake its analysis, and performed ig about three years ago, in Dr Thomson’s laboratory, with as much attention to accuracy as possible. The analysis was conducted in the usual way. Hence it is not necessary to particularize the ex- periments. The constituents obtained were thé following :— Silica, “ a 47.14 Alumina, ol aie 13.60 Lime, - - 0.40 Tron, - : 1.40 Manganese, = Sih 0.10 Potash, . - ~ 3-19 Volatile matter, = - - 3.50 f 93-30 Loss, 6.64 I00.00 This result approaches very nearly to a previous analysis of common felspar by Vauquelin: Our compact felspar agrees very nearly in its compo- sition with the variety known to the Chinese un- der the name of petunse, which forms a principal OF PENTLAND HILLS. 619 ingredient in their porcelain. The quantity of iron which our felspar contains, renders it unfit for the finer kinds of porcelain. In several of the lateral valleys in the Pentland range, there occurs a greyish and yellowish-white coloured claystone *, which agrees in many of its characters with compact felspar. This mineral should be analysed, as there is a probability of its containing the same constituent parts as felspar, with the exception of the iron ; and if so, it would answer for the finest kinds of porcelain. * This porphyroid, or porphyritic claystone, bears 2 striking resemblance to the porphyrord of Auvergne, which Faujas de St Fond, Delametherie, Haiiy, Cordier, and Von Buch, consider as a volcanic product. ADDITIONS anp CORRECTIONS. prong ens cpa Paget, Sant HES [ 628°] LP TOTRAS (EE a Be RED CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS BY¥ COLONEL MONTAGU. ZLiphotheca tetradens, p. 81., et seq. A very young specimen of this curious fish was found alive on the shore in Slapton Bay, on the south coast of Devon, about four miles east of the Start Point, on the 7th of February in the present year,(1810.) I regretted not having seen it alive, but it was quite fresh and perfect when brought to me the day after it was taken, and is now in high preservation in spirits. It measures about ten inches in length, and half an inch in breadth, at the broadest part, just behind the head, and where its thickness does not much exceed one- eighth of an inch, It differs in nothing but size from that before described: the characteristic larger teeth are conspicuous, and the two ventral scales peculiar to the species, are also obvious, by the assistance of a glass: the dorsal and anal fins are so fine in this young specimen, and lie so close, that they are not easily discovered, unless they | are lifted up by some pointed instrument: the caudal fin is very small, but perfect: the under jaw projects full as much in proportion as in the larger fish: the whole skin is covered with a sil- [ 624 } very cuticle, which is easily separated by gentle friction, and adheres to the fingers; it is not of that high polish observed in some of the scaly fishes, and is a little wrinkled ; there are also several slight longitudinal depressions on the sides, that give a striped appearance in some points of view. In proportion | to its length, the Ziphotheca tetradens is perhaps” the most compressed species of fish hitherto known, the Leptocephala Moristi except- ed. apie How are we to account for this very young spe- cimen being found in our seas, unless the spawn had been deposited on our coast? and if, as we may now conclude, this fish actuaily inhabits our seas, it is curious that it should never before have been discovered, Fasciola trachea, p. 194. et seq. Page 194. bottom, read, “ This disease is pro- “duced by a species of fasciola lodging within ‘‘the trachea, frequently extending from the la- ¢ rynx to the bronchi, or divarication of the wind- ‘<‘ pipe, but never that I have observed in the , “ Tones.” I have this summer (1810), for the first time, had my young turkeys slightly affected with a ver- micular disease, resembling that observed in the vommon fowl, but that it never arrived at that critical crisis gaping, from which few birds re- cover, and was only attended with a cough, or o [ime sudden expulsion of air from the lungs. OeTG a ‘ fi wosneet 2 Baw aS: ae ae nate ieee Bd Ls 4 he *) BY See CBpw ¢ 9M Ra ae st A eRaphag © a b 6 BREE BAD! wie S 9 SOE SPs CR ROR, SS = BF STF, ar binky Rake chase, SSD Bhi re ed ~ heen bo re ytastae stsBig Pee rei Re 4 ae ay SOU P BAS ie: ee 3k we eyS Mh tes wey, P ri Get a kBe wv iv eats Dates Pilar cy Erie fm an EIN eA a eB ReA Ponte SII ee ll) | il SS ————a | | 3 9088 00901 0406 | I a -