384 Miscellaneous. 



unknown from the Mesozoic, and will be described separately. The 

 nodules are of Cretaceous age. They enclose numerous marine 

 tihells and various plant-remains, well petrified. Unlike the 

 ' coal-balls ' and ' roof-nodules,' they are not contained in coal- 

 seams or in the roof thereof, but occur in a thick series of shales 

 below the coals, which appear to be of Tertiary age. The micro- 

 scopic aspect of the matrix shows that it is highly granular, unlike 

 the matrix of coal-balls and roof-nodules. Chemically thoy consist 

 of about 60 per cent, of carbonates, both lime and magnesia being 

 present, with 30 per cent, of silicates ; the large proportion of 

 silicates is an important point of difference from the Carboni- 

 ferous nodules. In having numerous plant-fragments in a single 

 nodule and in the type of petrifaction .the nodules are like coal- 

 balls ; in having marine shells included in the matrix they are more 

 like roof-nodules. They probably represent fragments of tangled 

 debris, which drifted out to sea but a short distance, and then were 

 speedily petrified. The Authoress acknowledges help from the 

 Government Grant Committee of the lloyal Society in carrying out 

 the research, and also from the Japanese Government, the Imperial 

 University, and the local Government of Hokkaido, together with 

 the Tunko Kaisha of Hokkaido. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



On some neiv Steneosaiirs jrom the Oxford Clay of Peterborough. 



To the Editors of the ' Annals and Magazine of Natural History* 



Gentlemen, — Since the publication of my paper on the above subject 

 in the last number of this Magazine (March 1st), a part of the 

 ' Pala3ontographica ' (Bd. 55, Lief. 5 & 6) has been issued, containing 

 a memoir by Dr. E. Auer, also on some Steneosaurs from the same 

 horizon and locality. In this the author describes as a new species 

 /S/. teleosauroides, the form which I named >'St. leedsi, and as a new 

 variety, St. larteti, var. Ivheni, the animal which I regarded as 

 specifically distinct under the name St. durobrivensis. 



It seems unfortunate that Dr. Auer should have been anticipated 

 by my brief note after he has taken such pains to produce so 

 excellent a memoir. Charles W. Andeews. 



17th March, 1909. 



