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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Ancient Sea Beaches.— At the meeting of the 

 Geological Society, a paper "On the Occurrence 

 of Marine Shells of existing Species at different 

 heights above the present level of the Sea," was 

 read by J. Gwyn Jeffreys, LL.D., F.R.S. This paper 

 resulted from the author's examination of the Mollusca 

 procured during the expeditions of H.M.SS. " Light- 

 ning ". and " Porcupine " in the North Atlantic. He 

 stated that he found several species of shells living 

 only at depths of not less than between 9000 and 

 10,000 feet, which species occurred in a fossil state 

 in Calabria and Sicily at heights of more than 

 2000 feet, such depths and heights together exceed- 

 ing the height of Mount Etna above the present level 

 of the Mediterranean. He then gave an account of 

 the Post-Tertiary deposits in Europe, Asia, and 

 North America, to show their various heights, and 

 especially of the raised beach on Moel Tryfaen in 

 Caernarvonshire, which was from 1 170 to 1350 feet 

 high. Some of the shells in that deposit were boreal 

 and did not now live in the adjacent sea. The 

 author stated that no shells of a peculiarly northern 

 character had been noticed in the west or south of 

 England. He then questioned the permanence and 

 even the antiquity of the present oceanic basins, from 

 a consideration not only of the fauna which now 

 inhabits the greatest depth, but also of the extent of 

 oscillation which had prevailed everywhere since the 

 Tertiary period. A complete list of the Moel- 

 Tryfaen fossils was given to the number of sixty, 

 besides three distinct varieties, of which number 

 eleven were arctic or northern and the rest live in 

 Caernarvon Bay. All of these fossils were more or 

 less fragmentary. 



The Geology of Idaho and Wyoming. — 

 Through the kindness of Dr. Hayden, chief geo- 

 logist, we have received the Report of the Survey 

 of the Territories for 1877, in which the above places 

 are included. It is a large volume, crowded with 

 evidences of good work, and well illustrated with 

 numerous plates, in many of which we get, very 

 happily and graphically combined, the leading fea- 

 tures of an extensive landscape, and the outcrop of 

 the different rocks underlying it. The illustrations 

 of new species of fossils are beautifully executed. 

 Among the contributors of the present volume are 

 Professor Hayden, Professor Endlick, Dr. C. A. 

 White, Mr. O. St. John, Dr. A. C. Peale, &c. The 

 generous manner with which the United States 

 Government send out these acceptable volumes 

 contrasts painfully in our mind with the miserable 

 niggardliness of our own Stationery Office. Great 

 Britain cannot afford it ! 



Fossil Insects. — In his report of the "Geological 

 Survey of the Territories of Idaho and Wyoming," 

 just published, Dr. Hayden says: "There is every 

 reason to believe the Tertiary strata of the rocky 

 mountain region are richer in remains of fossil insects 



than any other country in the world, and that within 

 a few months the material at hand for the elaboration 

 of the work on fossil insects which Mr. Scudder has 

 in preparation for the survey, will be much larger 

 than was ever before subject to the investigation of a 

 single naturalist." 



Fossil Mammalia.— In the valley of the Maun 

 there is a deposit of surface gravel from which I have 

 obtained a number of teeth and bones, the latter, 

 except in two instances, in rolled fragments. I 

 suppose the gravel to have originally formed part of 

 the bed of the river whose stream once filled the 

 whole of the narrow valley, but is now confined to a 

 small channel near its centre. The gravel is used for 

 road mending ; it was by turning over the pebbles of 

 one of the roadside heaps some two or three years 

 ago, that I found the first fragment of bone, and a 

 few days after, by careful search, two teeth ; since 

 then I have obtained from the workmen a number of 

 specimens. I believe I have among others, Bos 

 primigenius and Equus plicidens, but in the country, 

 far away from any museum, it is not easy to identify 

 species ; a friend who took the teeth for me to 

 the British Museum did not find the custodians of 

 our national treasures so communicative as might 

 have reasonably been expected. I shall be pleased 

 to send the teeth and bones and present specimens to 

 any reader of Science-Gossip well up in identifying 

 teeth of the various species of Bos, Cervus, &c— 

 IV. Gain, Tttxford, Notts. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



The Elephant Beetle.— Can any reader of 

 Science-Gossip give me any information concerning 

 the above-mentioned beetle, genus Scarabseus? I 

 have heard of two specimens, both of which were 

 seen in Scotland— £. F. Sargeant. 



Botanists' Portable Collecting Press.— 

 With respect to J. R. M.'s query about the above 

 press, I can say from personal experience that it is ot 

 very great service, enabling the specimen to be at 

 once pressed, thus saving much time, particularly 

 with mosses which perish so quickly. I can cordi- 

 ally recommend it to every one interested in Botany. 

 — M. Ridley. 



Places for Excursions.— Could you inform me 

 of any places, easily accessible from Winchester, in 

 the direction of Surrey, out of Hampshire, whither a 

 society could go for a day's excursion ? It would be 

 well if all the various branches of natural history 

 and geology could be met with, but, failing that, a 

 good botanical and entomological spot would be ne- 

 cessary. It must not be more than two and a quarter 

 hours or so by rail. — Win. Coll. 



Early Flowers.— Seeing a notice in a late 

 number of early flowers this spring, it may not be 

 uninteresting to some of your readers that I found 

 two specimens of the cowslip in full flower between 

 Hursley and Winchester on March 14. — Win. Coll. 



