RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1838]. Glen Roy notebook. CUL-DAR130.- Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Kees Rookmaaker, corrections by John van Wyhe and Martin Rudwick 6-7.2009, revised by Rookmaaker and van Wyhe 11.2011. RN3
NOTE: See record in the Freeman Bibliographical Database, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. See the introduction and notes to the fully annotated transcription of this notebook by Sydney Smith, Paul H. Barrett and Peter J. Gautrey in Notebooks.
This 116 X 73 mm notebook is bound in shiny black paper embossed with a spiral design. It has an integral pencil holder. The pencil is missing. It bears a label which reads "De la Rue & Co.'s Improved Metallic Memorandum Book. The point of the Pencil not being liable to break, and the writing being permanent, they will be found of great advantage to Commercial Gentlemen, Short-hand Writers, &c." In style the notebook is unlike any other Darwin notebook. It is similar to the Type 5 "VELVET PAPER MEMORANDUM BOOK" used by Darwin in the field during the Beagle voyage.
[front cover]
Glen Roy
[inside cover]
[printed label:]
De la Rue & Co.'s
Improved
Metallic
Memorandum Books.
The point of the Pencil notbing liable to break, an dthe writing being permanent, they will be found of reat advantage to Commercial Gentlemen, Short-hand Writers, &c.
There is some pencil writing on the label: m/n (w//i)
[facing inside cover] [blank]
1
Generally received opinion that male impresses offspring more indelibly than female p 367
Quarterly Journal of Agricl Dec 1837
Yet instances given against it —
Mere fact of many races of Animals
2
in Britain shows that either races soon made or crosses difficult
Salisbury Craigs
The Highland shepherds dogs coloured like Magellanic fox. . an instance of Provincial breeds.
<a part of the page is excised>
3
Veins of Segregation in Salisbury Craigs
[sketch]
<a part of the page is excised>
4
Salisbury Craigs
V. Specimens —
[sketch]
Veins, amygdaloidal — as well as base not always parallel to strata
3 or 4 seams / 3 or 4 inches thick —
5
[sketch]
6
35º is I believe about greatest dip of sandstone in upper part of Salisbury Craigs
25º perhaps most common —
7
Will not curved form of hill be explained by my idea —
highest part must project
8 [blank]
9
[sketch]
East End near Holyrood Palace
10
In same way at top trap could be traced
Grey in front on wall
perhaps wall oblique
The hill has been well — denuded. —
of hard metamorph path only covering
11
Great Slip, 10 years since three hundred feet in vertical height — enormous mass
thunder storm, many hundred thousand tuns.
Black faced sheep, sometimes mottled with white black legs & tail like species in colouring
12
Strike an analogy between pleasures of association, & passions, such as love —
dislike & f passion of hatred
To fullfil an instinct a pleasure; mem. Shepherd dogs
13
The Patches of Conglomerate on S. Ventana, excellent instance, how accidental is the preservation in situ of even imperishable pebbles.
I am nearly certain there were none on surface of any hill
Thursday
On side of Hill South of upper end of Loch Dochart buttresses of Alluvium or rather mass of well rounded pebbles in
14
yellowish argillaceous or sandy soil —
These Buttresses formed vestige of irregular terrae perhaps near 300 ft above
Loch. — From this point could be followed up to neighbourhood of Tyndrum
where a large sort of plain space is
15
thickly studded with ridges & flat topped hill / do alluvium
NB In one part pure sand in current cleavage — in other irregular horizontal strata I suppose these upper patches if prolonged would
16
intersect valley above the 300 ft Alluvium abo by Loch Dochart —
Rivers could not have deposited it. Barrier of lake very lofty, & no trace of it; to the
17
sea more probable
I did not look carefully for Marine remains. —
Some of the hills almost appeared as if they belonged to double series
Whole very obscure but it is certain
18
there must once have been very considerable mass of waterworn pebbles in Alluvium which without lake or sea could not be placed in present position
19
Thursday Evening 1/2 past 8
Tyndrum
29.625 29.636 Temp. 62
Friday morning 1/4 past seven o'clock
29.642 Temp 55 Air 50º ?
Friday. Inverorum
about 20 ft above Loch Tulla
29.804 Temp 62º Air 60°
20
Below Loch Tulla whole wide valley scattered with few very small & irregular hills of alluvium — nothing very striking yet possibly sea more probably than river —
No exact terraces but appearances, as if valley had been filled with sloping bed of rubbish
21
Friday
Highest part of road between Inverorum & King's House
28.935/82d A
Temp of Air 65º ?
Glenoe, 6 ft above high water mark
30.380. 68°
65º ?
For comparison with all the measure before
22
There some of the half rounded gravel nearly as high as highest measurement but nature I am quite doubtful of as I am of all the Alluvium.
At mouth of Caledonian Canal opposite Loch Leven
23
two terraces perhaps upper one 100 ft & other one 40 —
traces of them all
along Glencoe. —
towards Fort William yet in Glencoe in parts no trace of them —
24
Mem Coast of Chile — ؟ is not Mica Slate too hard & uneven to be impressed
Case of Birch Wood by Inverorum being determined by sheep & not deer
25
When Black faced sheep are crossed with English my informant said the lambs were nearly like each other & half between parents (& not like dogs), but they thought the breed liable to vary — I asked this question in many ways & received same answer
Thought lambs most like mother! —
26
the cross not so hardy but more easily fatten,
This man confirmed the account of the young Shepherd dogs
Saturday
Before coming to Bridge of Spean, hills of sea sand,, gravel, current cleavage, & pretty well rounded stones, mixed with some quite irregular
27
very like rubbish at head of Loch Dochart nea Above Spean Bridge many
flat terraces one above much inclined towards river all these composed —
where side ravine entered terraces formed successive bays but plains sloped
28
centre-wards which would not have happened if the side-streamlet had cut them out — In all cases I urge deposition marine — because if not chain of lake & if so there would be barrier — recollect
29
the case of loch in below by pass of Glencoe —
the erosion may often be due to rivers —
By Roy Bridge, a tongue of flat land, with terraces of each side of the two valleys
30
corresponding as in Andes, composed of sand & perfectly rounded stones — lake required to deposit this
Remember however the great Chilian valley Acongua, must there have deposited much — On other hand remember modelling power of sea N of Valparaiso
31
are those animals subject to much variation which have lately acquired their peculiarities?
[sketch]
The slope of A & B regular & even towards
32
river & to West of Spean difficult to explain on formation deposition in
lake
On the summit & on Spean side of Meal —
Derry there were perfectly rounded base pebbles of quartz & other rocks
not apparently in situ & in hill being gneiss & also also near summit on
Hill on side of Inn boulder of granite above 4th Shelf a little lower down the
hillock with beach & channel precisely as with Isld —
33
149
double terrace
plain
Spean
34
[continuation of page 33]
35
line on N. side of Spean most clear & upper line running up great bight just as Dick shows
NB. Lake gradually draining off would form plains such as those near Bridge Roy (& other cases) but then if gradually drained, where is barrier
36
[sketch]
37
Sunday
In Glen Collarig, when water up to shelf very shallow channel 50 ft wide & river get formed in centre
In Glen Collarig, on side of Hill of Bohunthine upper road (2) extends as far nearly as house, the 3d below them
38
opposite to where side ravine enters
On opposite side of valley both extend below the Houses
The Hills in this neighbourhood appear very round-topped with much
drainage & far more earthy than what is usual —
Lines die away where slope
39
less., best developed on steep earthy slope, two circumstances rarely united. — die away also, without any cause, must be tides. &c.
[sketch] ditch
roads very much this character. —
40
The boulders (one of Gneiss remarkably water worn) are oftentimes of rock not in immediate neighbourhood, (as granite or gneiss of Moel Deny) on low hill between Inn & Bouhunthine the summit doubtless worn into coincidence, has beach or band of pebbles on line of 4th shelf. —
41
Even on Lauder Dicks Hypothesis impossible to explain absence of lines in certain parts. —
At the Pass of Glen Collarig two little lines of Hill (judging from external form alluvium) descend from shelf 3d & almost meet,
42
but are separated by flat bottomed strait, connecting flat on one side with irregular gravel plain of other, which must have been waterworn after 3d lake. —
4th shelf runs up some way on great sloping plain of
43
alluvium (much corroded by rivers) & not to head of plain. — but below houses where rivulet enters two great projecting butresses, upper slope of which corresponds to shelf the truncation & the
44
upper shores may correspond with some line subsequent to shelf
[sketch]
45
In Glen Collarig, by Dicks theory lake burst in most improbable part & not in Pass, where shallowest
In Glen Collarig good case of shelves entering on one side ravine.
46
Are the lip, or necks of land on level with shelves effect of corrosion & not cause.
Monday
a rapid descent of a terrace except at very head of valley indicates new terrace
47
Ballivard 2 miles North of Grant town to Forrest road comminuted shells
Important contingency if elevation from Axis, then rivers might deposit, & afterwards
48
with greater cut through, not applicable to Glen Roy
Lake, must have remained very long at 4th shelf from size of buttresses, to upper edge of which they cut near Loch Treig —
49
Tuesday
Bridge of Roy
Level of bed of River
30.221/65º
Temp of air 65º ?
There are two terraces on the East side of river & bed of river about 40 ft beneath general plain.
50
30.127 A 72º
Air 65º ?
at level of upper terrace
The buttresses of Alluvium rise nearly up to Glen Collarig up within 200 ft of level of 4th shelf= argument against river — composition & —
51
stratification argument detritus —
[sketch]
where buttresses on 4th shelf: others lines not so level because of upper edge of cliff Others below it — argument for lake or sea at successive levels —
shelf of opposite
52
Glen Collarig at bend & here most accumulations
At gentler bends roads disappear
The normal condition of 4th shelf, some way below House
53
of Glen Roy, seems to be which higher up on is corroded
Could earthquake cause collection of sediment?
54
Where ravines enter side by, opposite entrance into Glen Fintec a kind of landing place is formed
55
Ben Erin summit
27.813. 65
55°?
Boulder of Granite
28.362
68°
60°
Granite — band 4X3 feet & 2 deep
56
Another rather smaller block 30 ft above & other 50 ft lower & other smaller ones
these boulders are decaying.
neighbouring rock gneiss & [rilany] sandstone actually resting on them on summit of hill rounded, site N N W of Ben Erin
57
Shelf of Glen Guoy
[sketch]
Divortium aquarum
NB In Glen Collarig tidal channel, sides alm 15 ft above bank or terrace,
from terrace of 2d shelf
58
Level of shelf of Glen Guoy form comparison with granite block & Ben Erin
29.287. 72º
Air 65 ?
70?
59
[sketch]
Where a buttress projects from side of hill if line suppose continued across to side removed all well & good, but
60
how came river to do this vast quantity when during repose of lake it did but little more
[sketch]
now that it has got to the rock of cols if —
why should it deposits
61
River terraces often descend by flights the terraces if the largest has hollowed out most
62
Wednesday
Shelf 3d dies away almost imperceptibly on Glen Turrit side
2nd shelf very broad& cut out, produced
from same cause as great spit is or plain now formed on shelf 4th
2d & 3d can be traced some way up, but most faintly on East side of Glen Turrit, where
63
I believe they end in upwards inclined plains, as in Corry. & as as I believe
in side ravine above houses of Roy
Maccullochs supernumerary shelf I doubt, much about 50 or 60 ft no
doubt, a mound of Alluvium nearly parallel —
Inclination of river must constantly alter with falling sea & so corrode
64
plain into terrace as regressed
What alter a balance there must be in power of rivers either bringing more
detritus than they corrode or vice versa
Same inclination when serpentine might remove, what above straight line
only cut deep gorge
65
on sea hypothesis, if gullies not now formed (Mac. hypoth,) the level during any oscillation must have been so carefully preserved as to have thrown water in same drainage lines
66
Mounds of druids thought wonderful — that they are preserved
how much more so, these lines & even water-scooped rock only decay from fragment falling of no particular hardness; no wonder that all three lines should be equally preserved
2d or upper one more perfect
67
in this part glen than 3d.
3(a) less perfect than upper & lower but quite as perfect as those lines in Glen Collarig, & some other parts
Boulders of same granite, all on these three shelves
68
soil is the usually slaty
Point of rounded not scooped rock on bend of 3 (a)
Cannot see make out composition of shelves: generally angular except
near head of valley
fragments which had fallen before lake drained could be told from some of those since fallen.
69
on the 3 shelves
Solid rock is much notched
on Maculloch's supposition; —
the old ravine, where water entered are not proportionately large to those now formed in same
70
spot by present torrents
Maculloch wrong in saying no transported materials into on upper shelves
granite & some other rocks at head of shelf 3d almost all granite pebbles
71
Level of plain of 4th shelf at head of Lower Glenroy
29.581 A 82
75°?
From this point plain appears like one uniform slope slightly bending up each main valley. — & that river
72
alone had modified it — perhaps however sea also, —
Barometer on shelf
3d . 29.455
A 83°
∴ plain of 4th shelf slope, above line of 4th shelf
This shelf at head where granite & veined gneiss unite occurs
abundantly with perfectly rounded pebbles of granite & forming sloping
buttresses
73
Yet certainly shelf 4th near only usually contains many pebbles, but I
believe this is chiefly caused by its being lower, — (no pebbles in parts of
Beagle Channel when mica slate, only sand blow away)
Where lines appear
74
to cross stony parts; appearance chiefly cause by fall of angular masses from
above on soft shelf —
29.330 A 84°
compare this with last measurement of shelf of 3d: — granite block a yard across.
75
On side of that hill, in front of which shelf 3d form beach of granite pebbles, & around which shelf 2d almost forms it into island — whole hill composed of remarkable gneiss with red granite veins & quartz, &
76
garnets. —
Boulders as before certainly must
have come been drifted here:
on very summit no granite — (in valley there are granite) boulders
[sketch]
hill with boulders
river
77
Right Hand Cascade has cut where two branches unite in upper Glen
Roy very little
back from line 2d; little action since that shelf formed
Upper terrace near Loch Spey
29.35161
29.360?
A 79°
75°?
78
A little below Divortium on slope towards Loch Spey
29.297
A 79. 1/2
29.316
about 12 ft higher than last station
divortium aquarum
29.316
true terrace 2d near divortium aquarum is a lip with it — Dick right — Mac mistook terrace also right —
79
Granite such as boulder on thes Diyortium aquarum
Peaty Mass of this point very nearly like head of Glen Guoy nor is horizontal line apparently continuation of upper terrace — on right hand
80
side of Loch Spey forms terrace about 60 feet above Loch
trace of this terrace on will Granite ridge or a modified Granite ridge at head of Glen Roy on
same side
where two rivers unite in Upper Glen Roy great
81
plain about 60 ft beneath shelf —
peat on pebbles — tidal plain as sea gradually retired, hard to explain on river doctrine
82
Little Hill with granite blocks almost encircled
fre Gneiss cut smooth on sides of hill where Boulder lies.
buttresses occur high up on Shelf 2d in Upper Glen Roy
83
In this upper part about junction of Upper & from Glenroy near the upper shelfs ground strewed with pebbles
Shelf 3d runs up with buttresses on each side very little way in Upper Glen Roy at pass
4th
[sketch]
side of valley
84
Granite blocks on this side (return) between 2d & 3d shelf
Mountain Mica composed of Gneiss
Block on 2d shelf & below it some way; several large ones (one 6 ft across) on top of spit between river & dry Corry
85
Scarcely conceivable. if Hill between Corry so much cut Granite could have remained, no peat supply. —
Consider profoundly Boulder hypothesis
Thursday, from Glen Turrit to Fort Augustus
Barom on upper (rather above)? shelf
29.290
A. 69°
Air 68°?
86
Barom 29.008
A. 75°
Air 70° ?
This station a little way down slope of obscure terraces (& conical hills on same) of semi waterworn & some partly well worn pebbles — which river could not have deposited
the slope is continued some hundred
87
feet lower & begins about 60 higher —
There are however fringes of alluvium (?) still higher
Slope of valley much more gentle than in Glen Roy, & partly shut in
No Granite blocks in higher parts??
Bought Glen name of Glen by which we
88
descended, it is to the west of Glen Tarf
What I called Alluvium shows the ascending fringes
[sketch]
which makes me think it submarine, 400 or more feet above station! There is long straight isthmus connecting
89
E & W connecting Glen Bought & Glen Tarf a perfect old Loch, making
several two divortiums aquarum, viz two branches of River Bought &
between one of these & Glen Tarf
90
Hill Cairn taw leer peak
Barom 28.700. A.75°
75°?
Boulder, much covered by turf 2 ft 8 long of syenite with pinkish felspar; — whole hill dark grey fine grained. Much contorted gneiss
narrow sharp ridge with peak
I walked all round
91
hill. Boulder about 20 ft below summit
Isthmus
[sketch]
XX Barom 28.92 A 75
Air 70° ?
92
Isthmus broad flat peat mass — (general character in these mountains & not ridges) between arm of Glen Bright flowing into E. end of L. Oich, & waters flowing into west end with obscure terraces on one side
Barom 29.200 A 80
70°?
93
for about 3/4 of mile on one S side of this Isthmus (which runs E & W)
broad terrace of pebbles? & Alluvium which appear perfectly level, or
op dies away on gradual slope —
: on N side dies away on rocky place, but narrow shelves just like road of Glen Roy — appears to lip with moss
94
On this terrace station perhaps 6 ft too low (to test last on Peat-Mass Divortium aquarum)
Barom. 29.200
A.77°
Air 70° ?
A 77°
Barom .066 lower than last, but station was a few about 3 feet
lower
too high
about a quarter of a mile further on, where three river abutted
95
Having crossed the mouth, (deep) of above valley this road level with Peat moss most distinct then lost by slope, then concealed by fragments, then clear. this bit to eye certainly appears level with road, & with piece of excised rock lost at point of valley chiefly from rockiness
96
When on other side
[sketch]
Shelf A at head of Gentle mossy slope, which from a distance hid it, could be followed for at least 2 miles on dead level by eye to moss
on this terrace
Barom. 29.264 A 82
75° ?
97
This last measurement turns out too low, (NB .260 would have been more correct) there were several obscure but not far continuous flights above it —
(NB. the buttress or pass at Isthmus appears above level of shelf certainly)
I took another measurement on short buttress but not continuous & it
98
was 29.200
minus .008 [equals] .192
Loch Lochy 3 ft above water
Barom: 30.372 A 76°
75°?
The River the of which the source is a lip with the new shelf flows into
canal between L. Lochy & Oich.
99
is a brook on the Lochy side of it — the terraces of which, last measurements belong are so complicated, that nothing can be made out of them — but it may be said that a mound stretches along, parallel to
100
Shelf on opposite side & dies away on the steep & rocky gully of last stream
Friday Loch Lochy near Letter Finlay
Barom 30.267, A 68
Air 65° ?
.194
372 [minus] 267 [equals] 105
about 28.75 I reached
29.090
101
Preservation of form of land
very much due to Peat & Heather — When it did not
grow at first — relics destroyed. —
the Brook about
Head of which is so interesting. enters by old tower called
Glengarry
102
(Nead Roy told me) it is impossible to see my new shelf, from road:
Loch Ness
30.140. A 66°
30.095
.0458 or 6
difference between bedrock & Loch Ness
30.100
Donald Macphee
103
Saturday Morning
29.958 A 64°,
air 60°
Evening do
The extreme right arm of River Tarf. it has a very long, flat divatium aquarum with, left of Bright. — like bed of lake with trace of terraces on each side
High up the Tarf
104
(a Granite (boulder), sloping buttresses, and one alternate curved layer of fine sand & small angular — rounded pebbles — dip sideward, & inwards — deposited when water stood at higher
105
Loch Keeper tells me, that Loch Lochy is 8 ft below Loch Oich wh is 92 ft above sea
Loch Ness 40 ft above
106
do. When cutting bank where Locks now are (32 ft rise) they found alternating layers of coarse & fine & many Sea shells. My informant saw them himself —
107
Sand with tide ripple
Near Fort Augustus hill & fringe as if it had been filled up at 30 ft. higher with pebbles now worn away —
The above shells must have been
108
about 60 ft above sea — soon decayed on exposure
Mr H. C. Watson Geographical distribution of British Plants
109
Shropshire Quartz what substance is collected in little spots
Speculate on under head of Beagle Channel. Forchammers (Lyells Denmark)
Shrewsbury rubbish. — Speculate on origin pebbles brought by different cause: from
mud. —
3 4
110-118 [blank]
119
[sketch]
Wenlock Edge
120
[continuation of sketch on p. 119]
121 [blank]
122
L. Lochy 12 ft
96 L. Oich
12
84
123
29.958 [minus] 1.17 [equals] 28.788
+28.8
30.372 [minus] 29.200 [equals] 1.172
Loch Oich 92
each Loch 8 ft.
124
[top of page excised]
The Metamorphic conglomerates near Loch Lochy would be well worth examining —
Inverness & waters of the Tarf —
Kilfinnan Tower
where stream enters at head of which hill is round
125
& not merely thoughts laying dormant
Man from Glen Turret said he learnt to know the lambs because most like Mother in face — asked stated this generally the case
[top of page excised]
126
Wednesday 12/ & 3/
Why is the Tetrao scoticus & Tetrao — not an American form
The union of two instincts crossing most remarkable ؟ ever obseved?
Shows that nervous brain makes thought
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[back cover]
Glen Roy
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
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