yt 
332 
NATURE 
| Aug. 24, 1871 

Chloracetic Acid. Vie has determined the rate at which chlora- 
cetic acid suffers decomposition, when heated simply with water 
or with caustic soda in asealed tube. The following papers 
were also read :—Prof. Apjohn, Some Remarks on the Proximate 
Analysis of Saccharine Matlers ; Dr. Gladstone, On Crystals of 
Silver ; Mr. Braham, Ox the Crystallisation of Metals by Elec- 
tricity ; Mr. J.S. Holden, Ox the Aluminous Iron Ores of Co. 
Antrim ; Prof. Maskelyne, On Dafrenite and a New Alineral 
from Cornwall, and en Localities of Dioptase ; Rev. Mr. Highton, 
On a Method of Preserving Food by Muriatic Acid ; Mr. Wank- 
lyn, On the Constitution of Salts ; Mr, Harkness, On a Method of 
Testing Wood Naphtha. 
SECTION C. 
Mr. CarruTuErs, F.R.S., reada paper by Mr. Grieve Ox the 
*osition of Organic Kemains near Burntisland, and also a paper 
by himself Ox the Vegetable Contents of Masses of Limestone 
eccurring in Trappean Rocks in Fifeshire, and the conditions 
under which they are preserved. Large masses of plants which 
formed the coal had been enclosed in the trappean ash, and sub- 
sequently calcified by the large amount of lime contained in the 
rocks. Mr. Carruthers considered that these fragments were 
enclosed in a peaty condition, because the mass was penetrated 
in every direction by roots, showing the existence of vegetation 
on this soil. The attention of Mr. Grieve was first directed to 
the specimens by observing on the shore large masses of lime- 
stone which had been polished by the drifting sand. ‘The action 
of this sand was well shown in the neighbourhood, even the hard 
basaltic rocks hav’ng been polished by it. Mr. T. M‘K. Hughes 
said that after what hadybeen brought out in regard to the action 
of the drifting sand, they must take care not to attribute the 
polishing of rocks in every instance to glacier action. 
' The second meeting of Section C. was opened by Mr. Pen- 
gelly, who read the Seventh Report on the Kent's Cavern Ex- 
plorations. His clear and lively lecture drew together a good 
audience. Commencing with some general remarks on the 
history and working of the Cavern, in order to make the subject 
clear, he pointed out the usual section to be, in descending 
o:der:—r. Black mould, containing many objects of recent 
date, and some of Romano-British times; also remains of 
animals still living, or which lived in historic times. 2. 
Granular stalagmite, containing remains of extinct animals, and 
also a human jaw. 3. Cave earth, yielding a harvest of extinct 
yemains, also flintimplements. 4. Crystalline Stalagmitic floor, 
and Breccia formed of rocks from distant hills; bears only have 
been obtained from these. He then described the work done 
during the past twelve months, showing what new passages had 
heen opened, and the number of species which had been ob- 
tained. They included hyzna, horse, rhinoceros, Irish elk, ox, 
ceer, badger, elephant, bear, fox, lion, reindeer, rabbit, bat, 
wolf, dog, &c. Many of the bones were gnawed by hyzna, 
others were marked by rootlets encircling them. Altogether, 
about 2,2co teeth and bones and 366 flint implemeuts and 
flakes had been obtained since the last year’s Report was read. 
The Contents of a Hyena’s Den on the Great Doward, Whit- 
church, Ross, Herefordshire, were pointed out by the Rev. W. 
S.. Symonds, F.G.S. He remarked that the section of the de- 
posits was—I. Superficial soil and stalactitic matter with 
Roman (?) pottery and human bones. 2. Thin band of stalactitic 
matter. 3. Cave earth, containing flint flakes and chips, stone 
instruments, teeth and bones of numerous mammals either ex- 
tinct or not now inhabiting the district, as the cave lion, cave 
bear, hyzna, mammoth, long-haired rhinoceros, fossil horse, 
&c. 4. Stratified sand and silt, with rolled pebbles. 5. Thick 
floor of stalagmite, and cave earth separated every few feet by 
layers of stalagmite, containing flint flakes. 
Mr. Vivian, referring to the length of time during which man | 
had existed on the earth, thought he might have existed for about 
a million years. Prof. Hull remarked that there was no evi- 
dence as yet to bring back man to the Glacial epoch, and there- 
fore opinions about the high antiquity of man should be reserved. 
Mr. Prestwich concurred with Mr. Hull, but said there was 
no doubt that man followed very closely upon the Glacial period. 
Mr. L. C. Miall read a paper On Some Further Expert- 
ments and Remarks on the Contortion of Kocks, describing re- 
sults obtained by subjecting limestone, flagstone, slate, and 
plaster of Paris toforces of low intensity but of long continuance. 
Mountain anc magnesian limestone proved to be indefinitely 
plastic ; slate slightly elastic, but almost incapable of permanent 

deflection, Remarks on some cases of superficial and modern 
contortions were appended to the paper. 
Prof. Hull and Mr. W. A. Traill, B.A., of the Geological 
Survey of Ireland, read a paper Ox the Relative Ages oF the 
Grantic, Plutonic, and Volcanic Rocks of the Mourne Moun- 
tains, Down, Jreland. They first pointed out the presence of 
two varieties of granite, differing, as Prof. Haughton hai shown, 
both in composition and origin; the soda granite of Slieve 
Croob {consisting of quartz, orthoclase, albite, and mica) being 
of metamorphic origin, and the potash granite of Mourne (con- 
sisting of quartz, orthoclase, albite, and mica) being eruptive. 
The relative, and as far as possible, the actual ages of these 
granites, r mained to be determined, which the authors con- 
sidered might be determined by a consideration of the basaltic 
and felstone-porphyry dykes, by which the district had on several 
occasions been invaded. ‘Phe conclusions thus derived were that 
the granite of Mourne was newer than that of Slieve Croob by a 
long interval, and that while the former was probably Mesozoic, 
the latter was of Palzeozoic age. 
The third meeting of the Geological Section was held on 
Saturday August 5. The first paper read was by the Rey. Dr. 
Hume Ox the Coal Beds of Panama, in reference mainly to their 
economic importance. The author drew attention to the dis- 
covery of a series of seams in the Isthmus of Panama. Analysis. 
proved the coal to contain about 75 per cent. of carbonaceous 
matter, the remaining portion being water and ash ; it had a fair 
heating and a large illuminating power. There are four points 
where the coal reaches the surface of the thickness of oft., .~ 
12ft., and with intervening streaks of shale and clay 25ft. ; it, | 
however, improves in value at greater depths. He pointed out \ 
the great importance of this coal, in the event of a canal being 
made through the Isthmus. ae 
The relation of health to certain geological formations was 
treated of by Dr. Moffatt. He remarked that the district in | 
which he lived consisted geologically of the Carboniferous and 
of the New Red Sandstone system ; that the inhabitants of the 
former were engaged in mining and agriculture, and those of the 
latter in agriculture chiefly. Anzmia, with goitre, was very | 
prevalent among those persons living on the Carboniferous sys- — 
tem, while it was almost unknown among those on the New Red | 
Sandstone ; and phthisis was also more prevalent among the | 
former than the latter. He then gave some statistics as to the 
diseases prevalent among the counties of Chester, Flint, and 
Denbigh, and stated that the practical deductions to be drawn _ 
from the inquiry were, that all young persons living on a Car- — 
boniferous formation haying symptoms of incipient goitre and — 
anemia, ought to be moved to a soil upon red sandstone, and | 
persons of strumous habit ought to reside upon sandstone atan | 
elevation of at least Soo or 1,000 feet above the sea. In the dis- 
cussion which followed the reading of this paper Mr. G. A. 
Labour mentioned a Carboniferous district in Northumberland _ 
containing a thin bed of limestone where the people sufferedirom | 
goitre. Sir Richard Griffith remarked that goitre was unknown | 
in Ireland, although they had plenty of Carboniferous recks. 
Professor Hall agreed with Dr, Moffat respecting the healthful 
character of the New Red Sandstone. — 
A paper was then read by the Rev. J. F. Blake On the York- 
shire Lias and the Distribution of its Ammonites. 
Some relics of the Carboniferous and other old land surfaces 
were described by Mr. Henry Woodward. 

SECTION D. 
THE Committee for the Close Time for Birds, reported by 
the Rey. Canon Tristram, LL.D., that it had gone on year after 
year endeavouring, as well as it could, to influence public opinion 
on the question of the preservation of indigenous life in this 
country. At the time of its appointment there was no protection 
whatever for any creature not coming under the Game-laws. 
Anything not game was treated by law as vermin. A curious 
ease had arisen in regard to Pallas's sand grouse, That bird 
made its appearance on the east coast of England, and if it had 
been allowed to breed on the sand-pits of Durham, Yorkshire, 
and Lincolnshire, no doubt it might have become an in- 
digenous bird. He (Dr, Tristram) summoned some people for 
shooting it out of season in the spring of the year; but it was 
decided that, being sand grouse and not Scotch grouse, it was 
beyond the benefit of the laws. The committee had to congratu- 
late the Association two years ago on having succeeded with very 

