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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



the vascular elements of the stem formed a closed 

 cylinder round the pith ; and the vascular bundles 

 for the leaves were given off from the out-turned 

 edges of the cylinder, -where, at regular intervals, 

 corresponding to the position of the leaves, narrow 

 meshes occur for this purpose. To this group were 

 referred the stem described by Lindley and Hutton 

 as Caulopteris PhiUipsii, and several hitherto un- 

 described species from Radstock and Newcastle. 

 No materials had yet been detected which could 

 throw any light on the foliage or fruit of these fern, 

 stems. The second group included some stems the 

 casts of which the author had obtained from Rad- 

 stock, and the root-structures from Halifax. By 

 the help of a fine series of specimens in the collec- 

 tions of the British Museum, he was able to cor- 

 relate the different parts of these plants. The 

 stems had been described by Corda under the name 

 of Stemmatopteris. They differed from the other 

 group chiefly in having the ends of the vascular 

 plates, as seen in the transverse section, turned 

 inwards, and having the bundles of the leaves 

 formed in a complete condition in the axis of the 

 stem. The author showed that the relation of the 

 different parts of the stem in the species of Caulo- 

 pteris was the same as in a first year's dicotyledon, 

 while in the latter group the analogy of the struc- 

 tures was with the monocotyledonous stem. The 

 roots, which surrounded the older portions of the 

 stem, formed the well-known genus Psaronius of 

 Cotta ; and as this was the earlier name, it was 

 proposed to retain it for the genus. There was 

 associated with all the tine specimens of this group, 

 fohage which had been described as Cyatheifes 

 arborescens. Although this had not been observed 

 organically connected with the stems, Mr, 

 Carruthers adduced several reasons for believing 

 that it belonged to them. If this connection could 

 be established, it was of the greater importance, as 

 this form was known in fruit ; and the fruit esta- 

 blished that its affinities were with the living 

 Alsophilas and Cyatheas. Many species of this 

 genus occurred in the continental coal-fields ; but 

 the author believed that all the specimens found 

 in England, though differing considerably amongst 

 themselves, belonged to a single species. 



Origin op Clay-Ihonstone. — This was the 

 subject of a paper lately read before the Geological 

 Society of London, by Mr. J. Lucas, E.G.S. After 

 having given a general view of the varieties, 

 chemical composition, and mode of occurrence of 

 clay-ironstone, he suggested that the formation of 

 all the bedded varieties may be explained by the 

 supposition that they originated in peaty or nou- 

 peaty lagoons on the alluvial flats of the deltas of 

 the Carboniferous formations, which would present 

 semi-terrestrial conditions, that is to say, a surface 

 exposed to the air, but subject to .be covered by 



floods. Carbonic acid formed in the lagoons from 

 decomposing vegetable matter, meeting with pro- 

 toxide of iron in solution, would unite with it to 

 form carbonate of iron, which, with the mud of the 

 lagoon, would produce clay -ironstone. Thus, in 

 the author's opinion, the beds of clay-ironstone, 

 like coal-beds, mark terrestrial horizons. The 

 author supported his views by reference to various 

 sections, and also cited the occurrence of what he 

 regarded as an analogous phenomenon on a small 

 scale in scmie mud obtained from the shore between 

 Redcar and Saltburn. 



The Antiquity of Man. — Sir John Lubbock 

 has recently sent the following communication to 

 Nature .•— " I have received a letter from Mr, 

 Edmund Calvert, in which he informs me that his 

 brother, Mr. Frank Calvert, has recently discovered, 

 near the Dardanelles, what he regards as conclusive 

 evidence of the existence of man during the Miocene 

 period. Mr. Calvert had previously sent me some 

 drawings of bones and shells from the strata in 

 question, which Mr. Busk and Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys 

 were good enough to examine for me. He has now 

 met with a fragment of a bone, probably belonging 

 either to the Dinotherium or a Mastodon, on the 

 convex side of which is engraved a representation 

 of a horned quadruped ' with arched neck, lozenge- 

 shaped chest, long body, straight forelegs, and 

 broad feet,' There are also, he says, traces of seven 

 or eight other figures, which, however, are nearly 

 obliterated. He informs me that in the same 

 stratum he has also found a flint flake, and several 

 bones broken as if for the extraction of marrow. 

 This discovery would not only prove the existence 

 of man in Miocene times, but of man who had 

 already made some progress, at least, in art. Mr. 

 Calvert assures me that he feels no doubt whatever 

 as to the geological age of the stratum from which 

 these specimens are obtamed. Of course I am not in 

 a position to express any opinion on the subject, but 

 I am sure that the statements of so competent an 

 observer as Mr, Calvert will interest your readers." 



The Sub-Wealden Exploration.— The second 

 quarterly report of the Committee managing the 

 Sub-Wealden Exploration, has just been published. 

 Recently, Messrs. Bristow, Topley, and Drew have 

 been over the ground, and these geologists are 

 satisfied that the site of the boring is by far the 

 best that Sussex presents for the purpose. On 

 January 2Sth, at a depth of 131 feet, the borers 

 came across a mass of stratified, pure white, crystal- 

 line gypsum (statuary alabaster), over four feet in 

 thickness. This was succeeded after ten feet of 

 gypseous marl, by another bed of alabaster, three 

 feet thick. This is a valuable material ; so that, so 

 far, the boring is not without economic importance. 

 The belief is that the borers have now reached the 

 lower strata of the Purbeck series. 



