PHYSICAL GEOLOGY. 171 



Deane, Rev. G. Address of the Retiring President. Ann, Rep. 



Birmingham Nat. Hist, for 1874, pp. 3-29. 

 Discusses the various theories of volcanic energy and the internal 

 condition of the globe. 



Deville, Sainte-Claire C. Les travaux scientifiques de M. Elie de 

 Beaumont. [The scientific work of M. Elie de Beaumont.] Rev, 

 Sci. p. 265. 



Consists chiefly of an exposition of the Pentagonal system. 



Dorn, Prof. E. [Determinations of Temperature in the Soil at dif- 

 ferent Depths, at Konigsberg.] Schrift.johys.-okon. Ges. Kgnigsberg, 



Du Pr^, Prof. Warren. On a series of Earthquakes in North 

 Carolina, commencing on the 10th of February, 1874. Ann. Rep. 

 Smithson. Inst, for 1874, pp. 254-260. 



Describes phenomena attending a shock felt at Stone Mountain, 

 suggests various hj'potheses to account for them, and discusses the 

 probability of the region becoming the seat of volcanic eruptions. In 

 a note, the editor, Prof. J. Henry, suggests that, when districts are 

 being depressed, the tension of the rocks would cause deep-seated 

 cracks with attendant noiseSj'whereas where the land is rising, these 

 would be near the surface. G. A. L. 



Dntton, C. E. A Criticism upon the Contractional Hypothesis. 

 Amer. Journ. ser. 3, vol. viii. pp. 113-123 (1874). 



Applies Fourier's theorem to calculate on various data the time of 

 evolution of the present thermal condition of the earth, and the depth 

 below which the increase of temperature must be inconsiderable. 

 Concludes that there are no values consistent with probability which 

 will support the contractional hypothesis. By far the greater part of 

 the contraction must have taken place before the Tertiary epoch ; yet 

 the whole of it would not be enough to account for the disturbances 

 which have occurred since the Cretaceous. Again, suchr. distortion as 

 that of the Laurentian rocks prohibits the belief that it is due to 

 secular contraction of the interior. The localization of the folds could 

 only have occurred by a horizontal sliding movement of the crust. The 

 general contraction of the nucleus would be more likely to produce 

 domes than anticlinals. With irregular corrugation by contraction, the 

 earth would have failed to preserve as nearly as it does its ellipsoidal 

 form. F. D. 



Ebray, Th. Sur la theorie chimique des Volcans professee en 1800 

 par Patrin, et sur la negation du Feu central, those developpee 

 en 1852 par M. Dalmas. [ Patrin 's Chemical Theory of Volcanoes, 

 and Dalmas' denial of Internal Fire.] 32 pp. Geneva. 



Falb, Rnd. Gedanken u. Studien iiber den Vulcanismus, m. bosond. 

 Beziehung auf das Erdbebcn v. Belluno am 29. Juni 1873 u. die 



