144 GEOIOGT. 



6. AFRICA. 



Bleicher, — . Eecherches sur rorigine des elements lithologiques 

 des terrains tertiaires et quaternaires des environs d'Oran. [Origin 

 of the Lithological Elements of the Tertiary Eocks of the Oran 

 District (Algeria).] Compt. Rend. t. Ixxviii. pp. 700-702. 

 The writer's conclusions are : — that the middle Tertiary was espe- 

 cially characterized by trachytic eruptions, which were submarine ; 

 that at the same epoch enormous quantities of silica were ejected. 

 The elements of the Pliocene rocks are generally of detritic origin. 

 The activity of thermal springs and volcanic phenomena reached its 

 height during the older Quaternary period; and to this period is 

 referred the far-spreading gypseous conglomerate, which covers the 

 Secondary and Tertiary rocks. To the accumulations of iron in veins 

 and otherwise in the district the author assigns a hydrothermal origin, 

 as he also does to the gypseous conglomerate. G. A. L. 



Sur la geologic des regions comprises entre Tanger, El- 



Araich et Meknes (Maroc). [Geology of the country between 

 Tangiers, El-Arish and Meknes, Morocco.] Compt. Rend, 

 t. Ixxviii. pp. 1712-1716. 

 The following formations were recognized : — Post Tertiary : Cave- 

 deposits, with flint implements and recent shells; Travertins, with 

 plant-remains. Tertiary : Pliocene, grits and conglomerates, with 

 shells ; Miocene (S. of Tangiers), gritty marls and foliated yellow 

 marls, with fossils ; Eocene, schistose marls and grits, calcareous and 

 siliceous grits, cro]3ping out in many localities, Nummulitic deposits. 

 Secondary : Cretaceous, marly shales, thin limestones, Glohigerina- 

 chalk, &c. ; Jurassic, thick limestones and dolomites : this is the 

 oldest rock determined. G. A. L. 



. Note sur la Geologic et la Paleontologie des Eormations 



d'estuaire de Tctage tertiaire superieur aux environs d'Oran. 



[Geology and Palaeontology of the Estuarine Upper Tertiary 



Eormations near Oran (Algeria)]. Compt. Rend. t. Ixxix. pp. 



252-255. 

 A detailed description of four sections through these beds, with lists 

 of the fossils obtained in them. The conclusions arrived at are : — 1. 

 That in this region the Mediterranean coast-line was very different in 

 Pliocene times from what it is now ; 2. That the plateau extending 

 to the east of Djebel Santo, and reaching a height of 144 metres, was 

 in Pliocene times covered by the sea and by fresh water, the latter 

 belonging to a river, of which the estuary is to be found between Oran 

 and Tlemcen ; 3. That the Pliocene fauna consisted of land-shells, 

 probably now extinct, and of a great majority of living species. The 

 horse was represented by the present species. G. A. L. 



