mation, according to the Wernerian doctrine of the relative antiquity of strata. It corresponds exactly with Professor Jameson's description of the common red sand-stone of the Isle of Arran resting upon mica-slate.

At Kirk Michael the sandy soil expands over the whole northern part of the island in a line nearly west and east. Below this sand lies a bed of very pure common clay, called marl by the inhabitants. It generally lies at the depth of one, two, or three feet, still deeper as the ground is higher, and is very advantageously employed to give consistence to the light sandy soil. It is not from its containing lime that its utility does or could arise. Lime or even shell sand would here be prejudicial. The stimulating power of lime would exhaust such a soil as we now speak of. The chief desideratum is to give it sufficient consistence to retain moisture and to permit the plant to sustain its erect posture by means of its roots. It requires to be renewed every eight or nine years; and the ground bears plentifully, provided there is a proper rotation of green crops, barley, and oats. There is however a real clay-marl found near Ramsey, which contains a considerable portion

of lime, and effervesces with acids. It is dug up at the depth of about eighteen inches, midway between high and low water mark in Ramsey bay. This also is in particular situations used with advantage as a manure. The substratum of clay rests on grey wacké-slate, as appears at the cliffs where the rocks are visible.

In many parts of this flat district peat is found in considerable quantities, usually from six to eight feet thick, and sometimes much more. It rests upon clay, frequently much mixed with sand. Trunks of the pine and of the oak are often observable. The former is accounted the most common, but I saw only the latter. It is black, very hard, quite free from decay, and is sometimes used by cabinet makers. The two sorts of tree are rarely or never found together; the trunks of oak lie in clusters: hence an opinion has been formed that the fir was indigenous to the country, and that the oak, the favourite of the Druids, was brought hither either by such of them as were fortunate enough to escape the retaliating punishment of the army of Suetonius, or by those who fled from Anglesey when that country was finally conquered by Agricola. To have le

velled these trees with the ground must have required a considerable convulsión of nature; and if they existed alive till the extermination of the Druids from Wales, it seems probable that we should have some tradition of their destruction.

Near Ballaugh, and half a mile from Deemster Cullin's, upon an eminence, are about ten masses of sienite, three or four feet every way, forming somewhat of a circle.

At Ramsey the slate again commences, and continues to form the coast and country back! ward to the chain of mountains, almost to Derby-haven.

Half way between Ramsey and Laxey is said to be found, in a very small vein, a loose friable earth, of a greyish-black colour, softish to the touch, and used by the inhabitants for the cleaning of plate and other purposes. The specimen in my possession was procured from a Laxey miner, whose property it is by gift of the Duke of Athol. It does not effervesce, nor is it very soluble in mineral acids. It probably arises from a partial decomposition of slate.

The neighbourhood of Laxey is chiefly interesting on account of its mines. These are

C

situated on the banks of Laxey river, about one mile above that village. They are worked by two levels driven from the steep banks of the river. The upper level was begun about thirty years ago, but has not been regularly worked, and is partly filled up with water. It runs to the depth of about one hundred yards, following a vein nearly four feet wide, dipping to the east upwards of one foot in six. The vein consists of quartz, common brown blende, lead glance or galena, and occasionally some Of the copper-green or carbonat of copper. metallic matters the blende is the most abundant, next the lead, and lastly the copper ore. height of the excavation is from four to fifteen feet, according to the extent or goodness of the ore. Interspersed with the lead glance, a small quantity of phosphat and a very little carbonat of lead have been found, but not in such quantity as to affect the smelting of the more profitable lead ore. For a considerable period the copper ore was disregarded, and thrown away among the rubbish. Some time ago the miners requested and obtained it of the proprietors. What they collected was sold at the rate of 231. 14s. 6d. per ton, a price which shews that

The

The blende

it was not a very pure copper ore. here, as at other mines, was till within these few years thrown away, but is now sold at the rate of seven pounds per ton. This substance, till lately considered of no value, is at present used to glaze the coarser kinds of earthenware. The lead glance of this mine is very rich in silver, one ton of it affording, on assay, one hundred and eighty ounces of silver, or about th part, according to the report of those employed in the works. This lead ore is therefore the great object of the miner's research. It is com mon foliated lead glance with a pretty fresh lead-grey colour and strong metallic lustre. It is said that the other lead ores of this island never yielded above, and rarely so much as, seven ounces per ton. Where the copper ore appears in the vein the lead is in small quantity, and even that quantity is poor, being what the miners call burnt. There is a little sulphuret of iron, in the form of a grey powder, found in this mine, which is separated from the other ores, as it would otherwise render them slaggy and impede their smelting

The new level, which is now carried on, is situated about a quarter of a mile further down