PRIZE QUESTIONS. All 
GEOLOGICAL PRIZE. 
ANNOUNCED ON MAY 30, 1864, BY THE IMPERIAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AT VIENNA. 
The great majority of the most accurately studied eruptive rocks, both in and 
outside of Austria, belong either to the older palxozoic formations or to the later 
tertiary and quite modern periods. 
In the Austrian alps, however, still more in the Carpathian mountains, and 
also partially in Bohemia, there are masses of rocks in great quantity and variety, 
which break through the stratified rocks or stand in relation to the same, but 
of which the period of eruption falls within the epoch of a middle age, begin- 
. . . co) 
ning with the dyas formation to that of the eocene. 
To name only a few of these, we have the metaphyre of the —— 
(Rothliegende) in Bohemia and the red sandstones of the Carpathians, which 
belong probably to the same formation ; the red porphyry and metaphyre of the 
trias of the southern Alps; the so-called augite-porphyry and amygdaloids of 
the east Carpathians standing in connexion with the jurassic limestone; the 
teschinite of the chalk and eocene formation of the Silesian Carpathians, &c. 
Many of these rocks have been named heretofore generally and from mere 
external analogies. An accurate mineralogical and chemical investigation of 
the same, a comparison of the platonic rocks of the higher and younger periods, 
constitutes a problem, the solution of which would fill a gap, in the true sense 
of the word, in our knowledge, and would appear alone to be of vast importance 
to science. ‘The Imperial Academy can with right expect this solution, because, 
as far as is yet known, no other country in the world possesses eruptive rocks 
of the period alluded to in equal quantity and abundance. 
The mathematical-natural history class of the Imperial Academy of Sciences 
has therefore determined to offer a prize for the answer to the following prob- 
lem, viz: 
“ An accurate mineralogical, and, as far as may be possible, chemical inves- 
tigation of the largest number of eruptive rocks in Austria of the middle period, 
from the dyas formation to that of the eocene, and the comparison of these with 
the more accurately known older and younger eruptive rocks of Austria and of 
other countries.” 
The period for closing the reception of the prize essays has been fixed for 
December 31, 1866; the announcement and reception of the prize of two hun- 
dred royal imperial mint ducats will follow at the commemorative session of the 
Academy on May 30, 1867. 
The following paragraphs relating to prize essays, from the order of business 
of the Imperial Academy, are published for the benefit of the contestants : 
§ 56. All prize essays should be furnished without the name of the author, 
but, as usual, with an accompanying motto and with a sealed envelope contain- 
ing the author’s name in the inside and his motto upon the outside. 
At the commemorative session of May 30, the president shall open the sealed 
envelope inscribed with the motto of the successful essay, and shall announce 
the name of the author. The other envelopes shall be burned unopened, but 
the essays shall be preserved subject to the call of their authors, announcing 
each his motto. 
§ 57. The division of a prize between several contestants is prohibited. 
§ 58. Every crowned prize essay remains the property of its composer. 
Should he so desire, it will be published by the Academy. 
§ 59. The members of the Academy shall not strive for this prize. 
§ 60. Essays which have not received a prize may, if worthy, be published 
by the Academy, with the consent of the author. 
