154 Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. [Fkis. 



Hungary. The author supposes the whole of the lesser plain of 

 Hungary to be composed of calcaire grossier, and the several 

 localities in which he observed it are enumerated ; leaving this 

 plain, and proceeding northwards, he crossed the granitic chain 

 which lies between the valleys of Nyitra and Thuroez, and conti- 

 nuing his route, ascended Mount Fatra, the lower part of which 

 is composed of shale, above which is a hard oolitic limestone 

 which the author believes to be onlv the lower bed of the cal- 



caire grossier. 



On the right bank of the Vag, opposite the town of Rosen- 

 berg, are some conical hills of hard white calcaire grossier, on a 

 rock of which is the ruined castle of Dyombir. This rock conti- 

 nues to form all the hills on the right bank of the river, and 

 behind them are seen the high summits of the Carpathians, 

 among, which the conical Mount Tepla is most conspicuous. 

 The calcaire grossier during all this space resembles that which 

 forms the left bank of the Danube between Ratisbon and Passau. 

 Before arriving at Ocholicsna, the beds of calcaire grossier ter- 

 minate on the north side of the valley, throwing up a bold 

 escarpment towards the magnificent group called collectively 

 the Mount Tatra, and of which the Krivan (esteemed the loftiest 

 of the Carpathian chain), rising into the form of a cone, forms 

 the western extremity. 



Most of the high valleys in the north of Hungary are poor and 

 ill cultivated ; bare of wood, except a few stunted pines. Conti- 

 nuing his route eastward, Mr. Strangways found the country to 

 consist chiefly of shale and grit, which extends nearly as far as 

 the neighbourhood of Eperies. On the road to Bartpha, it is 

 interrupted by a narrow band of a dark porphyritic granite, 

 which rises into detached conical hills near the post Ternyo. 

 On the westernmost is situated the fortified town of Szeben. 

 Near the town of Bartpha is a reddish shale and sandstone, 

 which constitute the mass of the continuous range of the Carpa- 

 thians. Crossing this range by the pass of Dukla, he entered 

 by the valley of the San, the vast plains of Poland, highly culti- 

 vated, and in every way a contrast to the poor, but varied moun- 

 tains of Hungary. Gallicia is a plain of vast extent ; in this 

 rich but uniform country, natural sections and interesting 

 scenery are found alone on the banks of the rivers. The whole 

 country appears to be a sandy lime, sometimes resembling chalk. 

 West of Leopol, the soil is a light yellowish sandy earth, resem- 

 bling that of the richest part of the calcaire grossier of the 

 Netherlands. East of Leopol is a deep black soil exactly 

 resembling that of the most fertile parts of Russia ; both appear 

 to cover the same formation, and they are equally productive. 



Dec. 6. — A paper was read, " On the Geology of some Parts 

 of Arabia, and some Islands in the Persian Gulph," by J. B. 

 Fraser, Esq. 



This paper contains geological observations on a part of the 



