APEICA. 147 



Xlfxyrj, he now argues against the existence in historical times of the 

 lacus Trltonis of Herodotus. Does not believe that the formation of 

 an inland sea in the Tunisian " Chotts " would materially alter the 

 climate of the Desert. G. A. L. 



Rexevier, Prof. E. Renseignements geographiques et geologiques 

 sur le Sud de I'Afrique. [Geographical and geological notes 

 on S. Africa.] BuU. 8oc. Vaud. Sci. Nat. vol. xiii. pp. 384-390. 



A communication extracted from letters of M. P. Berthoud. The 

 geological notes relate to gold-deposits at Maraba-Stad (Transvaal). 

 The quartz-rock is described as a bed dipping 50° ; the mines are only 

 lately begun : one shaft is being sunk along the dip of the quartz, and 

 another vertically, to intersect it; the latter cuts a second bed of 

 quartz. Prof. Renevier remarks that the description of the quartz is 

 one of beds, and not of veins. E. B. T. 



RoTJDAiRE, E. Reponse k la Note precedente de M. Houj-vet, sur 

 le projet de retablissement d'une mer interieure en Algerie. [The 

 Scheme of re-establishing an inland sea in Algeria.] Compt. 

 Rend. t. Ixxix. pp. 289, 290. 

 Argues that the effects of evaporation on the proposed inland sea 

 would be counteracted by an outflowing undercurrent, which would 

 form itself as soon as communication is established with the Medi- 

 terranean. G. A. L. 



. Note sur la mer interieure d' Algerie. [The inland Algerian 



Sea.] Compt. Rend. t. Ixxix. pp. 501-504. 

 An answer to the objections to the proposed scheme raised by 

 Messrs. Fuchs and Cosson (see p. 145). G. A. L 



Shepstone, Hon. T. Remarks on the Geographical and Physical 



Character of the Diamond Fields of South Africa. Joum. Soc. 



Arts, vol. xxii. pp. 390-392. 



The author thinks that the great basin of S. Africa suggests the 



idea of vast and violent water- action in the past ; that it was once 



the bed of an inland sea, which has become dry by the upheaval of 



portions from time to time. There are also signs of extensive igneous 



action. It is in this basin that diamonds are found. Thinks that 



diamonds were formed when carbonic acid was ejected by subterranean 



heat through fissures into water of depth enough to liquefy the gas, 



which then was decomposed and lost its oxygen. The discussion 



foUows at p. 396. W. W. 



Stow, G. W. Geological Notes upon Griqualand West. Quart. 



Joum. Gcol. Soc. vol. xxx. pp. 581-680, plates xxxv.-xxxix. 



(maps and sections), 7 woodcuts. 



From the Modder river, S.W. and then W., to the junction of the 



Vaal and Orange, the olive- coloured shales of the Dicynodon or Karoo 



series, traversed frequently by igneous rocks, form the country, and 



are seen in some places to lie unconformably on older rocks. The 



shales reach to the edge of the Campbell Randt, on the other side of 



the Orange river, and have been formed, to a great extent, of the 



debris of those old hills. The oldest rocks of the locality crop out 



l2 



