-^^6 Scientific Intelligence — Geology. 



— A species of Eniys, and some species of Coluber. Class Am- 

 phibia—A species of the genus Rana. Of the Mollusca there 

 have been found some planorbes, helices, and a bivalve, which 

 bears a great resemblance to the Unio margaritifera of La- 

 marck. 



8. Mud Volcanos. — In the proceedings of the Geological 

 Society of France, it is mentioned that jNI. De Verneuil had 

 visited the peninsula of Caman, and the eastern portion of the 

 Crimea where the small village of Kertsch is situated, a district 

 covered by hills which owe their origin to muddy eruptions, 

 generally accompanied by springs of naphtha and by springs of 

 muddy water which evolve gas ; they have a height of from 200 

 to aOO feet above the level of the plains. Their flanks are for 

 the most part furrowed by deep crevices produced by the action 

 of the waters of the atmosphere on substances having but little 

 solidity. At the summit there occur small cavities, from an 

 inch to three feet in depth, and having the form of craters, which 

 are constantly bringing to the surface a small quantity of 

 muddy water. Gas is frequently disengaged from this wa- 

 ter ; and sometimes on the continuation of the hill there oc- 

 cur springs of bitumen, which are so abundant, that M. de Ver- 

 neuil has counted forty points whence naphtha was obtained in 

 buckets like water. An eruption, which lasted six hours, had 

 been preceded during three days by subterranean reports resem- 

 bling discharges of artillery. Portions of black earth, which 

 assumed a variety of forms, were projected to a height of from" 

 hve to six toises. A smoke, or rather a gas, having a bitumi- 

 nous and sulphurous odour, was uninterruptedly emitted, and 

 at intervals jets of flame were perceived. At the distance of a 

 few toises, the earth seemed to move under the feet of the spec- 

 tator. 



9. Morpliology of Rocks. — Dr Jackson of Boston states in 

 a letter read to the Geological Society of France, that the resuUs 

 of his observatioiis on the chains of mountains and the direction 

 of their dislocations, confirm perfectly the theory of M. Elie de 

 Beaumont. He has noticed some very curious and beautiful exam- 

 ples of a passage from new red sandstone to hornstone porphyry 

 and ribbon jasper. The same geologist is in possession of some 

 interesting specimens confirming the conversion of magnesian 

 limestone into true dolomite by the action of trap-rocks ; and 



