Notebook No.6
- Reference:GB 237 Coll-203/A1/6
- Dates of Creation:September 1827- September 1827
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:170 folios85 Leaves1 volume
Scope and Content
This notebook contains geological notes on Forfarshire, sketches, and many queries at the end.
The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own "Index", found at the beginning and end of the notebook, transcribed from digital surrogates using the platform Transkribus. When known, Lyell's abbreviations and contractions have been expanded using brackets []. When writing is unclear, and transcription is not possible, this is denoted using [...]. Quotation marks are Lyell's own notation for ditto, as is the abbreviation "d'o". The inclusion of [sic] indicates the misspelling of a word is deliberate and taken from the notebook.
p. 1, Barometer Balnaboth
p. 1, Stones descend then down burn
p. 1, Ice causes winter floods or spring
p. 1, Hill torrents freeze not for springs [et cetera]
p. 2, Mica shist [sic] twixt Balnaboth [and] Clova
p. 2, Gneiss d[itt]o
p. 3, Diluv[iu]m at ford Kirktown Clova
p. 4, Castle of Clova sketch
p. 4, Clova once a lake
p. 4, Eagles diminish there
p. 5, Barometer Bachnagairn q[uery] observ[ation]s
p. 6, Lochs ancient in Clova
p. 6, Granite Bachnagairn
p. 7, Shank of L[och] Esk gneiss
p. 7, Small lochs near L[och] Esk – L[och] Esk
p. 7, Gneiss quartz vein shifting
p. 8, Loch Esk shallow
p. 8, Cause of prejudice. Minerals in veins
p. 8, Little Crow Craig. Gneiss curved
p. 10, Cause of geological prejudice Time
p. 10, Fafairnie
p. 10, Fetid quartz Crow Craig
p. 10, Peat extensive. D[itt]o Tambowie
p. 10, Crow Craig granite vein
p. 11, Moss burnt in 1026
p. 11, View from Lunker
p. 11, B. of auld [?] gneiss from C[...] Damff
p. 12, Fir wood 3 trees in Peat in Bremar [sic] [Braemar]
p. 12, Fir wood from bogs used for candles
p. 12, Why no quartz natural wood? Some at this
p. 12, Granite Bachnagairn
p. 13, Barometerical observ[ation]s. Q[uer]y
p. 13, Deer take to water. Peat for candles
p. 13, Marble. Clova
p. 14, Airlie [and] Clova Castles when burnt
p. 14, Capercailie [sic Capercaillie] extinct in Scot[lan]d [even] not fossil
p. 14, Hill peat grows fast
p. 15, Granite Bachnagairn with quartz vein
p. 15, D[itt]o Guin gorge [finest] precipice
p. 16, Sidlaw beds faults in Carmylin
p. 16, Bachnagairn Granite
p. 17, Granite vein. Sketch [Risedike] Clova
p. 18, Granite vein below 2
p. 19, Ancient lake Clova, [barrier] d[itto]
p. 19, Gneiss. B. of mealie
p. 20, Granite w[ith] [Bradnner]
p. 20, Gneiss w[ith] pyrite d[itt]o
p. 21, Gneiss Ben red
p. 21, Ancient lake in Clova bolders stop
p. 21, Ancient lake in Clova deposit sedimentary seen at side
p. 21, Ancient lake in Clova diluv[iu]m at sides opposite Burn
p. 22, Outline of Oaght
p. 23, Clova often flooded now
p. 23, Clova Castle of – of hornblendes
p. 23, Haughs or numerous old lakes of Clova
p. 25, Marl of L[och] of Kinnordy
p. 26, Defils of rivers "dens" in conglom[eration] always
p. 26, Formations wh[...] pur[...] "dens"
p. 26, Stag [and] ox alone fossil Cuv[ier]
p. 26, Marl L[och] of Kinnordy
p. 27, L[och] of Forfar lengthened like a river
p. 27, Legendum Leibnitz [sic Leibniz] Protogoa [sic Protogaea]
p. 27, Marl L[och] of Kinnordy
p. 28, D[itto] diluv[iu]m of islands in
p. 29, Creigh hill mica shist [sic]
p. 29, Marl of L[och] of Kinnordy
p. 30, Bone insulated / [...] in d[itt]o
p. 31, Section on Isla. Den of Airlie
p. 32, [Section on] identity of trap pebbles [there] with [...]
p. 32, [Section on] Serpentine dike not [there?]
p. 32, [Dup] [th...] less [...] [nearer] grampians
p. 32, Proofs of antiquity of Sidlaw trap, twofold
p. 33, Valley with trap in bottom of axis
p. 33, Diluv[iu]m by R. Dean in Glammiss Park
p. 34, [Tortworth] beds coal[ificatio]n Red [Hd?] [amygd[aloi]d]
p. 34, Cypripedium calceolus plant [exterminated]
p. 34, Glammiss quarry
p. 35, Pseudo-[alternations] caused by faults
p. 35, Difference between bison [and] ox
p. 37, Oolite structure in various form[ation]s
p. 37, Diluvium of Strathmore
p. 37, Diluvium islands or [niches] of in Angus lochs
p. 38, Canoe in L[och] of Restenneth
p. 38, Restenneth marl beds
p. 39, Clova valley, in what peculiar
p. 40, L[och] Kinnordy marl [and] bones
p. 40, Legendum Buffon on valleys
p. 41, Forfar why good geol[ogica]l district
p. 41, Bakie human bones
p. 42, L[och] of Kinnordy marl [and] when drained
p. 43, Scotch circuits
p. 43, Elevation[s] plastic clay in Engl[an]d
p. 43, Diallage [and] hypersthene [and] hornblendes same
p. 43, Kinnordy marl
p. 43, Nuts in Kinnordy peat
p. 44, Cookstone d[itt]o [and] extant 2 sect[ion]s
p. 45, Kinnordy marl [?]. 28
p. 46, Bakie Castle on isle
p. 46, Red mortar. Similar in L[och] Kinnordy
p. 46, Human bones in shark
p. 46, Alligators on African coast
p. 46, Oolite, term implies its being more [...]
p. 46, Legendum Von Buch [et cetera]
p. 46, D'Aubuissons theory of rearrangement
p. 47, Shistone structure not parallel to strata
p. 47, L[och] of Kinnordy marl. Sect[io]n
p. 48, Cookstone when drained perfectly
p. 50, Dr Hemmings stags horns to exchange
p. 50, Balenbreich [sic Ballinbreich] Castle. Fife
p. 51, Mantell's chalk cone
p. 51, Measurements of Dr Hemmings ["lawines?"]
p. 52, Mytilus in coal with spirorbis attached
p. 52, Pan of Kincardinesh[ire]
p. 52, Stilbite in conglomerate – when?
p. 52, Crystalline rearrangement
p. 52, Terebratula sketch
p. 52, Coal plants not all monocoty[ledon] beds
p. 52, Mem[oranda] Kinnordy insects
p. 52, Chalmers legendum cruelty to anim[als]
p. 53, "Necessity [and] Anstruther"
p. 53, Carse clay section
p. 54, Flisk greenst[one] dike
p. 54, Hutton [and] Kirwan [and] Werner
p. 54, Hurricanes
p. 55, Curiosities " term abound
p. 55, Primitive limest[one] not crystalline
p. 55, Import duty on Nat. Hist.
p. 55, No metals in quartz rocks
p. 55, Primitive limest[one] in Angus localities
p. 56, Mica sh[is]t [sic] [and] quartz more recent than org[anic] rem[ains]
p. 56, Kenmore quarries, like present mica sh[is]t [sic]
p. 56, Greywacke [and] aggregate rock
p. 56, Flisk dike like Stirling castle
p. 56, Granite of Mull over lias
p. 57, Granite veins for map
p. 57, Marble formed out of lias. Mull. Skye
p. 57, Hornblende in good soil. Blackadder
p. 57, Carse clay. Blackadder [et cetera]
p. 57, Carse of Gowrie places to investing[ate?]
p. 57, Anticlinal axis Sidlaw
p. 58, Stonehaven conglom[eration]
p. 58, Sidlaw beds [querie of n[ea]r Tay
p. 58, [Kerry] bridge height of 482ft
p. 59, Barry sands different sections
p. 59, Barry sands diff[erent] to sea as does carse?
p. 60, Basin of Montrose. Section
p. 60, Carse clay depos[ite]d by salt water
p. 60, Carse clay or why else not inland? Blackadder
p. 61, [...]
p. 61, Oaks in peat N[orth] of Scotl[an]d – none living
p. 61, Peat grows fast in Mull
p. 62, Timber in mosses where none living
p. 62, Pan of Kincardine is only [muir?] land
[p. 62], Pan of Kincardine found under peat not matted
p. 63, Sidlaw beds unlike Caithness
p. 63, Pan or iron slag in any peat moss
p. 63, D[itt]o in Mull – iron in peat
p. 63, Why iron in peat [and] in coal field
p. 64, Axis of Lammermuir cut thru like Sidlaw
p. 64, Amygdaloid when [calcite] is [richest] soil
p. 65, Sidlaw. pebbles in these beds [et cetera]
p. 65, Pilnaquie quarry Auchter Ho[use] [sic Auchterhouse]
[p. 65], Primitive rocks once second[ar]y
p. 65, D[itt]o why no second[ar]y pebbles
p. 66, Auchter Ho[use] [sic] sandst[one] dip
p. 66, Auchter Ho[use] [sic] sandst[one] like [l?] porphyry
p. 67, Auchter Ho[use] [sic] sandst[one] & pavement quarry
p. 67, Auchter Ho[use] [sic] faults in
p. 68, Auchter Ho[use] [sic] d[itto]
p. 69, Faults in Sidlaw – direction of
p. 70, Faults induration of rock on side of
p. 71, Tealing sandst[one]
[p. 71], [Mi?] Craigie whin quarry
p. 71, [Stan] quarry d[itt]o dip S. E.
p. 71, Faults Sidlaw
p. 72, Sandy brae diluv[iu]m dip to sea
p. 73, D[itt]o talus
p. 73, Erratum in [col?g] of map
p. 73, Public library. Expence [sic expense] [et cetera]
p. 73, Primary limestone once second[ar]y?
p. 74, Lava [and] trap synonyms?
p. 74, Coal slate once [mud]
p. 74, Dogs skulls differ
p. 75, Animalculea [sic Animalcule] in semen
p. 75, Definite proportions
p. 75, Tobacco pipe analysis
p. 75, Metallic veins not [mast?] in oldest
[p. 75], Metallic veins due to magnetism?
[p. 75], Saussure's universal scepticism
p. 76, Primary series not regular
p. 76, Primary series granite of [mast?] [?]
p. 77, Granite [tho] oldest of diff[eren]t ages
p. 77, Nomenclature – names must be given
p. 77, Faults
p. 78, D[itt]o
p. 78, Cruelty to animals. [Johann Baptist von] Spix [and] [Carl Friedrich Philipp von] Martius
p. 79, Legendum Gibbon. Origin of evil
p. 80, Is Sidlaw really a saddle?
p. 81, Land in Angus if entailed, no other
p. 81, Titles in Scotland originally 1.5th
p. 81, Pounds Scot[land]. Right of [...]
p. 81, Metallic veins exception
p. 82, Faults [and] cuts in Forfar slate
p. 82, Faults ice Forfar quarry
p. 83, David Scott's [...] museum
p. 83, Entomology why thought most cruel
p. 85 Burns on cruelty of man
p. 86, Plagarism
p. 86, Gneiss not alt[ere]d second[ari?]ly
p. 87, [& p.97] Milton extracts from
p. 87, Man not degraded
p. 87, Dogs skull
p. 88, Shetland, microscopic shells
p. 88, Carse clay
p. 88, Turtle in Shetland [et cetera?]
p. 88, Marine diluv[iu]m Dighty
p. 88, Marine diluv[iu]m Powgavie
p. 89, [William] Penn [and] [Francis] Bugg
p. 93, Instructions to whalers
p. 96, [p.98] Legendum Gibbon [et cetera]
p. 96, Stonesfield jaw
p. 97, [John Bird?] Sumner
p. 97, [Samuel] Parr [and] [Sir James] Mackintosh
p. 99, Patella of Lin[naeu]s vary much
p. 101, Oysters on flint pebbles, Blackheath
p. 102, Submarine forests – Norway
p. 102, Freshw[ater] form[ation]s
p. 103, Baloni only on floating substances
p. 104, Gristhorpe Bay, n[orth] Scarbor[ough], section
p. 105, Voluta angulata
p. 105, Age of oysters
p. 105, Hills rare in conglom[eration]s
p. 105, Insect eating its way out of Elin.
p. 106, Himalaya[n] diluv[iu]m – bones
p. 106, Bakie gyrogonite
p. 107, Bones of fish digested
p. 107, Ferns floated by Columbian river
p. 107, Trees in oolite
p. 107, Genera voluta of Linn[aeu]s
p. 108, Conif[erou]s plant in forest marble
p. 109, Arran
p. 109, Lias in Sky arched
p. 110, Fleming on hybrids
p. 111, Legendum Werner on German geol[ogy]
p. 112, Ascension rock like Portland
p. 112, Ianthina
p. 113, Basins, a source of error
p. 113, Alluvium, trees floating
p. 114, Drift wood
p. 114, Amazon, R.
p. 115, Pressure on wood
p. 115, Dumfries alluv[iu]m
p. 115, Waste of cliffs
p. 115, Temp[erature] of sea
p. 115, Marine plants
p. 116, Pressure, org[ani]c re[mains] how flattened
p. 116, Birds float after death
p. 116, Insects, periodical app[earan]ce of some
p. 117, Libellula fossil
p. 119, Patella, fossil, [James De Carle] Sowerby, no chitons
p. 120, Chitons in Zool[ogical] Journ[al]
p. 120, [& p.188] Fossil insects
p. 124, Temperature – north[er]n elephant [et cetera]
p. 124, Hyrcinian [sic Hyrcanian] forest, felling of
p. 125, Solution of silex
p. 125, Gigantic teredo thrown up in Sardinian Sea
p. 126, Alecto glacialis in 250 fathoms
p. 126, Pentacrinite thrown up by the hurricane
p. 127, Forfar bones, state of preserv[ation]n
p. 127, Pentacrinus europous, Zool[ogical] Journ[al]
p. 128, Beetles in marl
p. 128, New noctua from Kinnordy
p. 128, Asinus Burchelli
[p. 128], White's Journ[a]l of a Voy[age] to New S[outh] Wales extract from on Opposum
p. 128, Floating gasteropodes, widely spread
p. 130, Chalk, faults in, new Lewes [unpaginted], Geological queries, 16 pagesAdministrative / Biographical History
This notebook, the third of 1827, was written by Lyell early in his geological career, after Lyell and Buckland made their discoveries in Scotland in 1824, but whilst he was also maintaining a law practice, funded by his father. Lyell was greatly involved with the Geological Society, serving as Secretary with George Poulett Scrope in 1825, and presenting papers on Tertiary exposures of the Hampshire coast in 1826. During the course of this notebook, Lyell began writing the first drafts of Principles of Geology. The first manuscript was delivered to the publisher at the close of 1827.
During this period, Lyell's eyes, weakened from a time spent in Tuscany as a youth, grew stronger, and allowed him to plan trips further afield to Europe. Most biographies point to this period of time when he resolved to dedicate his time to his geology work.
While working as a barrister on the western circuit, Lyell reads the evolutionary theories of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) and realizes that the mutability of species would affect geology as much as the biological sciences. Lyell nonetheless concludes that the fossil record is too imperfect to support the theory of evolution, and that the physical world is a stable balanced system.
Archivist's Note
Created by Elise Ramsay, Project Archivist; Index transcribed by Nicky Monroe, Volunteer April 2021
Subjects
Geographical Names