3tj4 Scientific Intelligence. — Geology. 



the petrifactions which some of them contain are never met with 

 in Norway or Sweden. 4. The first only of those divisions of 

 rocks can, with probabihty, have a northern origin assigned them; 

 in regard to the second it is more doubtful ; but we cannot ad- 

 mit such a view in regard to the third class, and that which is the 

 richest in petrifactions. 5. The last cannot with probability be 

 asserted to have been derived from the mountains which bound 

 the South Baltic Plain. 6. Nor can they have come from 

 mountain masses destroyed in their original situation. 7. They 

 cannot be supposed to have at an earlier period existed in the 

 north, unless we assume what is very improbable. Thus it ap- 

 pears that the result of my labours in regard to answering the 

 question of the native country of the erratic blocks is almost a 

 negative one. It is doubtful if a more intimate acquaintance 

 with these masses will lead more speedily to the answer to this 

 question than a fortunate hypothesis. It is certain, however, 

 that complete investigations on the nature of erratic blocks will 

 afford a secure basis for inquiries as to their origin, and it is 

 therefore to be wished that we should receive numerous and ac- 

 curate contributions to our knowledge of the blocks of all parts 

 of the South Baltic Plain. So much, however, is decidedly 

 proved by my labours, that the great geognostical phenomenon 

 of the erratic blocks in the South Baltic Plain, cannot be ex- 

 plained by one simple event, and that much more complicated 

 causes and forces must have co-operated than has hitherto been 

 believed. It is equally evident that we stand at a greater dis- 

 tance from the solution of the problem than we imagined ; that 

 apparently the key to the great riddle is not yet found, and that 

 the question seems now less satisfactorily determined than ever. 



6. Wollaston Medal. — The Wollaston Gold Medal has been 

 awarded by the Geological Society to Dr Mantell of Brighton, 

 for his many important discoveries in Fossil Comparative Ana- 

 tomy, particularly of the genera Iguanodon and Hyla.saurus. 



7. Royal Medal for Geology and Mineralogy. — At a meet- 

 ing of the Council of the Royal Society of London, held last 

 December, the following report from the Committee appointed 

 to consider the award of the royal medal in Geology and Mine- 

 ralogy, for the current year, was read. 



