Sermons in Stones. By DOMINICK M'COUSLAND.

This work professes to reconcile the established facts of Geology with the Mosaic narrative of the creation; but however good the author's intentions, his Geology is very indifferent; and when we read in his Sermons of the "hasty and dogmatic assertions of the Savilian Professor at Oxford," the truth of an old proverb, respecting certain persons who reside in glass houses, and the danger of their throwing stones, forces itself vividly upon the mind. "Sermons in Stones" are full of "dogmatic assertions." Had the author been aware of Mr Salter's discoveries in the Cambrian rocks of Wales, publicly announced by Sir R. I. Murchison at the meeting of the British Association at Glasgow, and that organic remains have been detected in the lowest known sedimentary rocks, the Longmynds, he would hardly have founded his basement arguments on universal" Azoic rocks" and "boiling oceans." Again (p. 42), we are informed that "the Grampians and Welsh ranges, the Pyrenees, Hartz Mountains, Dofrafield, Uralian, Himalayan, Atlas ranges, Mountains of the Moon, the Andes and, Alleghanies, were all elevated 'during the period of the OLD RED SANDSTONE." This is a grand discovery, and one for which we do not doubt Sir Roderick Murchison will be truly grateful, especially if the author would also inform us how the OOLITIC strata and their fossils mounted to the height of 16,000 feet on the flanks of the Himalaya, and how the CARBONIFEROUS deposits were pitched high and dry on the summits of the Alleghanies. As for the "angle which the Silurian rocks make with the Devonian in the Mountains of the Moon," we should like to be informed how, when, and where, our author took his sections.

We regret extremely to observe many instances of Geology warped to suit the author's arguments and "dogmatic assertions," contrary to geologic truth, such as, that "no sunbeams penetrated the clouds" "during the carboniferous epoch," and many other such gratuitous suppositions.

The contemporaneous classification of "The Trias and Oolitic system" is also an instance of "confounded confusion," seldom met with in works of Geology of the present day. The systems are as distinct as the oolite and the chalk, nevertheless we have the Labyrinthodon hopping in the days of the OOLITE (p. 68), when we might just as truly contemporize the Iguanodon and the Monkey.

The author's knowledge of Conchology is as indifferent as his Geology; for we read (p. 24) that "Lingulæ, Brachiopods, and Rhynchonella, sometimes called Terebratulæ, have been termed the scavengers of the ancient seas," from "their formidable apparatus for destruction." This is a sad libel on those unoffending Brachiopods. The author has evidently confused them with Sir R. I. Murchison's

account of paleozoic Cephalopods and their habits; the Lingulæ and Rhynchonellidæ would be horrified at such a destructive classification.

Passing on from the Geology, we read the analogy between the Mosaic record and the Geologic record with greater pleasure, and recognise a devout spirit and many careful arguments; although we are rather mystified by the author's theory of the manner in which Moses was inspired, and how he beheld "IN A VISION" certain events of the creation; while of others, which "he could not see NATURALLY," it appears he was profoundly ignorant. We don't understand the author's theory of inspiration.

There is much eloquent language in this little book, and the author evidently understands the importance of Geology on the question on which he treats, when he writes thus ::

"Of the physical relations between the Creator and the created, there is more instruction to be gained from geological studies and research than from the whole of the transactions of the human era." (P. 218).

A second edition of this little book will, we are satisfied, afford us the pleasure of hailing a very readable, useful, and truthful work.

Pictures of Nature. By EDWIN LEES, F.L.S.

This work is the production of a well-known Botanist and careful general observer of Nature's works; thus every page is a valuable addition to the local natural history of the West of England. The field excursions of the Malvern and Worcestershire Naturalists' Clubs have supplied Mr Lees with many a tale of interest to the general reader, as well as to his brother naturalists. Pictures of nature will be read by many who never have seen, and perhaps never will see, the Malverns and their glorious scenery.

One circumstance is mentioned, which the geologist will probably question. Mr Lees, speaking of paleozoic plants says: "I have myself met with two impressions of parts of the fronds of two species (of ferns) in LUDLOW rock from West Malvern !"

Perhaps Mr Lees would forward his "impressions" to the Geological Society of London for examination. Ferns are unknown in Silurian rocks, and our impression is that Mr Lees is mistaken!

An attempt to Classify the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Great Britain, according to their Geognostic Relations. By JOHN GILBERT BAKER.

In this essay the author attempts to arrange the plants of Britain according to the geological formations in which they grow.

He adopts, although without acknowledgment, the views and nomenclature of Thurmann, in his Essai Phytostatique, and divides the formations into Dysgeogenous, or those which are disintegrated with difficulty, and Eugeogenous, or those which abrade easily. He remarks: "Every species possesses essentially its characteristic special range of lithological adaptability, in the same way that each possesses its characteristic special range of climatic adaptability. Under equal climatic conditions, some species are restricted to more or less distinctly marked dysgeogenous situations, and others to more or less distinctly marked eugeogenous situations; but a greater number can adapt themselves, more or less decidedly, to stations of either class." He divides. the surface of Britain into six zones, as follows:

1. Psammo-eugeogenous or Scandinavian zone.-North Isles, North Highlands; nearly the whole of East Highlands and West Highlands.

2. Mixed or Subscandinavian zone.-The Lakes, North Wales, South Wales; the greater part of East Lowlands, West Lowlands, and the Peninsula; a small part of East Highlands, West Highlands, and Severn.

3. Primary dysgeogenous or Jurassic zone.-Nearly the whole of Tyne; part of Humber, Mersey, and Trent; a small part of East Lowlands and West Lowlands.

4. Eugeogenous or Belgic zone.-The greater part of Severn; part of Humber, Mersey, Trent, and the Peninsula; a small part of Tyne.

5. Secondary dysgeogenous or Jurassic zone.-The greater part of Ouse and Channel; part of Humber, Trent, and Thames; a small part of Severn.

6. Subeugeogenous or Gallic zone. The greater part of Thames; part of Humber, Trent, Ouse, and Channel.

We

The author then gives lists of the British species, according as they are dysgeogenous, ubiquitous, (including by far the larger number,) eugeogenous, maritime and saline, Irish and Sarnian, anomalous or introduced. There can be no doubt that there is a marked connection between the soil and the vegetation which covers it; and the plants of one kind of soil differ often remarkably from those of another. The division into chalk plants, sand plants, maritime plants, &c., is familiar to every one. do not think that Mr Baker has made any step in advance in this essay. Much remains to be done by the Geologist, Chemist, and Botanist, before any correct conclusion can be drawn in regard to the geognostic relation of plants; and we think that the present essay proceeds upon too slender data to be of much use in the elucidation of this confessedly difficult question. In conclusion, we cannot agree with the author in his statement that the difference between Viola odorata and Viola hirta are not specific, but that they are mere variations caused by geognostic influences.

PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Monday, 17th March 1856. Right Rev. Bishop TERROT in the Chair. The following Communications were read :

1. An Account of some Experiments on certain Sea-Weeds of an Edible kind. By JOHN DAVY, M.D., F.R.S., London and Edin., &c. (This paper appears in the present number of this Journal.) 2. On the Deflection of the Plumb-line at Arthur's Seat, and on the Mean Density of the Earth. By Lieutenant-Colonel JAMES, R.E, Communicated by Professor FORBES.

The author states that the results of the Trigonometrical Survey of Great Britain are now nearly ready for publication, and that he has deduced from them the most probable measures which they afford of the length of a meridian, and the figure of the earth.

After determining the most probable spheroid from all the astronomical and geodetical operations in Great Britain, it has been found that the plumb-line is sensibly deflected at several of the trigonometrical stations; but in almost every case the physical cause of such irregularity may be with probability inferred.

In the case of the station at the Edinburgh Observatory, and on the summit of Arthur's Seat, where the latitudes inferred geodetically in consistency with the entire survey are compared with the direct astronomical determinations, a deviation of the plumb-line towards the south, to the extent of between 5" and 6" is manifested. The exact latitudes are as follow:

Observed. 55° 57′ 23′′-20

55° 56′ 43" 71

Calculated. 55° 57' 17"-57 55° 56′ 38°44

Difference.

5"-63

5"-27

Observatory, Calton Hill, Arthur's Seat, summit, From this it is evident that the discrepancy occurring at the Observatory cannot be ascribed to the deflecting attraction of Arthur's Seat, where it exists almost equally. Colonel James attributes it in both cases to the effect of the hollow of the Firth of Forth to the north, together with the mass of high ground to the south, including the Pentland and Lammermuir ranges. On actually calculating the effect of the configuration of the ground within a radius of 15 miles, about 2" 6 of the deviation is accounted for; and the writer believes that the mountainous country beyond may farther sensibly increase the effect.

With a view to determine the strictly local attraction of Arthur's Seat, three stations were fixed nearly on a common meridian line, passing through the summit of the hill. These are marked N, A, and S. The station N (most northerly) is in the vicinity of St Anthony's Chapel, A is almost on the highest point of the hill, S is situated on the knoll above Sampson's Ribs. 220 double observations of stars were made at each station in September and October 1855 with Airy's Zenith Sector.

The difference of astronomical latitude of the stations N and S is 42" 56.

The difference of the geodetical latitudes is 38"-46.

The difference of these numbers, or 4′′10, measures the double deflection of the plumb-line at the two stations due to the attraction of the interposed hill.

NEW SERIES.

-

-VOL. IV. NO. I.-JULY 1856,

K

The accurate system of contours which have been carried round the hill allows the calculation of the attraction of all its parts at the two stations N and S, to be performed with the utmost nicety, on the supposition of its being of homogeneous material. By including the effect of all the inequalities of the ground within a radius of 6000 feet (or rather more than a mile) around each of the stations, and denoting by a the unknown ratio of the density of the hill to that of the entire globe, these equations are obtained:

by the solution of which the ratio of the density of the hill to that of the whole earth is as 5245 to 1.*

By extending the radius of sensible attraction considerably beyond 6000 feet, and calculating the effect of the surrounding country in the same manner on the plumb-line at the three stations, this value of the relative density of the globe is somewhat modified. The ratio is then 5348 to 1.

From direct experiments on the specific gravity of the rocks of Arthur's Seat, Colonel James infers the mean density of the hill to be 2.75 times that of water; whence the earth's density comes out

with a probable error of 0·07.

5.14,

3. On the Possibility of combining two or more independent Probabilities of the same Event, so as to form one definite Probability. By Bishop TERROT.

Monday, 7th April 1856. Dr CHRISTISON, Vice-President, in the Chair. The following Communications were read :—

1. On Atmospheric Manoscopy, or on the direct Determination of the Weight of a given bulk of Air with reference to Meteorological Phenomena in general, and to the Etiology of Epidemic Diseases. By Dr SELLER.

2. Researches on Chinoline and its Homologues. By C. GREVILLE WILLIAMS. Communicated by Dr T. ANDERSON.

In this inquiry, which is an extension of an investigation published in the Transactions for last year, the author examines the connection which has been said to exist between chinoline and quinine, and shows that they bear no simple relation to each other. He states, also, that the supposed analogy between the action of heat on quinine and the hydrated oxide of tetramethyl-ammonium does not exist, and that the assertions which have been made regarding the possibility of the formation of quinine from the leukol of coal-tar are founded on error. He then, after showing that chinoline from cinchonine had not previously been obtained in a state of purity, gives the history and composition of the platinum, gold, and palladium salts; also the nitrate, bichromate, and binoxalate.

He describes two new classes of salts formed by the chlorides of cadmium and uranyl with organic bases, and gives the analysis of their com

*The outstanding abnormal deflection of the plumb-line (assumed to be equal at the three stations) amounts to 4"-72.