i 4 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



altered sediments are gneisses and schists of unknown 

 origin, and "abundant metamorphic equivalents of old 

 basic igneous rocks " now in the condition of amphibolites. 



The paper contains descriptions of the conversion of 

 clastic rocks into schist and gneiss, including a stretched 

 " conglomerate gneiss" of which a figure is given, recalling 

 in a marked degree some specimens of the Obermittweida 

 Conglomerate of Saxony and certain Norwegian con- 

 glomerates described by Reusch. 



In a paper by LI. Smith (9) the relationship of certain 

 Precambrian iron-ore and Jasper-bearing rocks above the 

 " Archaean " rocks is discussed. 



Since the days of the discovery of Eozoon Canadense the 

 search for Precambrian fossils has been zealously prosecuted, 

 but hitherto with unsatisfactory results, and although we 

 are prepared any day to hear of the actual finding of 

 determinable Precambrian organisms, it is by no means 

 certain that they have yet turned up. These remarks are 

 suggested by a paper (10) announcing the discovery of 

 foraminifera in the Precambrian rocks of France. Tests of 

 these organisms are stated to be contained in quartzites 

 and phtanites interstratified with Precambrian phyllades of 

 Saint- L6 (Cotes-du-Nord), in which the existence of radio- 

 laria had previously been announced. The age of the 

 rocks does not appear to have been disputed, but judging 

 from the cautious way in which the supposed organisms are 

 spoken of in a review in the Geological Magazine for 1894, 

 p. 417, which gives evidence of having been written by a 

 master of the subject, their organic nature cannot be con- 

 sidered established beyond doubt, and we still await the 

 description of a fauna older than that of the Olenellus beds. 



B.— LOWER PALEOZOIC ROCKS. 



Two papers by Walcott (11) give additional information 

 concerning the Olenellus beds, and further clear up the 

 difficulties which have arisen around the " Taconic Ques- 

 tion". The correctness of the early correlations of McClure. 

 Eaton, Emmons and Rogers is established. Recent dis- 

 coveries show that the basal sandstones of Alabama, 



