October i 5, i Sy6 ] 



A'A TURE 



)S7 



pi-riiRl by compelling the Gulf Stream waters to flow directly 

 inti) the North Atlantic without passing into the Gulf of Mexico. 

 By thus shortening its journey, the author calculated that the 

 water would be delivered into tlie North Atlantic ten degrees 

 colder than was at present the case. The author also referred to 

 the amount of high land in the northern hemisphere as another 

 contributing cause ; and in both these suggestions he was sup- 

 ported by Sir William Dawson, who spoke in the discussion on 

 the paper. 



Mr. Mellard Reade gave evidence of land oscillation near 

 Liverpool, derived from river-channels buried in drift, which 

 itself often has an eroded surface covered by estuarine deposits, 

 in turn overlaid by forest-beds made up of the remains of oak, 

 Scotch fir, and birch ; the latter are nosv just at the sea-level, or 

 even a little below it. Three land surfaces appear to be pre- 

 sent — one pre-glacial, the second post-glacial, and a third, 

 still later, represented by the peat beds and submerged forests. 

 Mr. Morton, dealing with the sea-coast of Wirral, showed that 

 near the Leasowe embankment the sea had encroached 85 yards 

 between 1S71 and 1896, and at Dove Point the erosion was 

 about 4 or 5 yards per annum from 1S63 to the present. Mr. 

 M. X. Ridley has not yet been able to begin excavations in the 

 Singapore caves, but he has seen the white snake which inhabits 

 them and is said to feed on bats ; it is not blind, but has large 

 eyes. 



On the subject of PalK;ontology there is little to record, and in 

 that of Petrology still less. Short interim reports were presented 

 by the Eurypterid, Phyllopod, Moreseat, and Type Specimen 

 Committees. Prof. Seeley described a skull of Diadcnwdou, 

 brought from Wonder Boom by Dr. Kannemeyer. The reptile 

 possesses ten molar and premolar teeth, and its post- frontal bone 

 differs from that of Ornilhorhyiichus in its different relation to 

 the small brain cavity, and in contributing to form the circular 

 orbit of the eye. Air. Seward announced that Glossopteris and 

 Vertebraria had been found near Johannesburg, associated with 

 specimens of Lcpidophloios. A similar association has lately 

 been recorded by Prof. Zeiler in Brazilian plant-bearing beds. 



Dr. Johnston-Lavis criticised the interpretation placed by Messrs. 

 Weed and Pirsson in an igneous mass in the Highwood Moun- 

 tains, Montana. Square Butte is a laccolite in Cretaceous sand- 

 stone, composed of an outer and upper layer of basic rock, called 

 Shonkinili by them, and a core of syenite. Dr. Johnston-Lavis 

 gave several reasons for supposing that the interpretation of this 

 by difi'erentiation on the spot was an error. Such differentiation 

 would not result in a curved plane of separation, nor in the 

 denser rock occurring at the top. He preferred to think the two 

 rocks were separate intrusions, perhaps from the same magma 

 originally, but that the upper part had been intruded first, and 

 had acquired its basic character by absorption in passing through 

 limestone or other basic rock walls. By the time the later 

 intrusion of the syenitic magma took place, the rock walls had 

 absorbe<l so much silica that little further change in its composi- 

 tion occurred. Dr. Busz recorded the discovery of corundum 

 as a product of contact metamorphism on the southern flank of 

 the Dartmoor granite, and amongst other minerals described the 

 occurrence of cassiterite inside crystals of andalusite similarly 

 produced. 



A number of papers dealing with problems in physical and 

 dynamical geology were presented. Prof. Seeley described the 

 occurrence of false bedding in clays of Reading age, and also 

 in similar rocks of Wealden date. Mr. Logan Lobley gave 

 evidence to show that lava could not be derived from any great 

 depth down in the earth's cru.st, and also that the shrinking of 

 the globe since Cambrian times was a practically negligible 

 factor in the contortion of rocks. Dr. Walther inquired, in 

 general terms, whether evidence of fossil deserts was not likely 

 to be obtained in the geological record. The Coral Boring 

 Committee had to record that, in spite of two attempts, the site 

 chosen for the operations, Funafuti in the South Pacific, had 

 proved unsuitable ; a mixture of quicksand with great coral 

 blocks resisted all attempts made to bore through it. Time had 

 not allowed of the transfer of apparatus and observers to another 

 island, and consequently the project had been abandoned. Much 

 good observational work in zoology and anthropology had, 

 however, been carried out by the members of the expedition. 



Mr. Vaughan Cornish illustrated the <iift'erent types of ripple- 

 marking produced by the sea (syn)metrical and knife-edged), by 

 streams (symmetrical and rounded), and by wind (unsym- 

 metrical). Mr. Wethered gave an account of the general 

 character of the ocean depths at dilTercnt geological ej^ochs, 



NO. 1407, VOL. 54] 



alluding mainly to the chief types of lime-secreting organisms 

 found in each great limestone mass. He described with lantern 

 illustration many of the encrusting organisms, such as Giii'aneHa 

 and MitchclHeania. Mr. Kendal pointed out the effects of 

 solution on organisms with aragonite, and on those with calcite 

 shells ; he concluded that the readier solution of the former was 

 the cause of the bathymelrical limit defining the extent of 

 I'teropod ooze. In a separate communication the same author 

 concluded that the disappearance of aragonite shells from the 

 Upjier Chalk, and the preservation of calcite organisms, argued 

 that this rock was deposited at a depth of at least 1500 fathoms, 

 a conclusion supported by Dr. Hume and Mr. Jukes-Browne 

 from entirely different standpoints. Prof. Milne gave a minute 

 report on his seisniological observations during the year in the 

 Isle of Wight. His instruments enabled him to feel the larger 

 earthquakes at great distances, even right through the earth. 

 From his observations on August 31, he concluded that there 

 must have been a violent earthquake at sonte spot about 6000 

 miles distant from his observatory ; a distance which probably 

 indicates that the site of the earthquake was Japan. News of 

 such a shock has been received, but of its intensity we at present 

 know nothing. 



It only remains to notice that the Photographs Committee 

 recorded about 200 new geological photographs as received 

 during the year ; but that still many portions of the British 

 Isles are woefully ill-represented in the collection which, 

 although now lodged at Jermyn Street, still hopes to receive 

 marked increases during the next few years. 



GEOGRAPHY A T THE BRITISH ASSOCIA TION 



"T^HE Geographical Section was perhaps more largely attended 

 at Liverpool than at any previous meeting of the Associa- 

 tion, a result due in some measure to the convenient situation 

 and beautiful construction of the large hall set apart for its 

 meetings, and also due in part to the numerous lantern 

 exhibitions of photographs of little-known regions. The number 

 of papers and reports read was thirty-four, considerably more 

 than usual, and meetings were held on five days. It was 

 impossible, owing to the private arrangements of the gentlemen 

 who read papers, to arrange for a proper classification of the 

 work of the various days, and, therefore, in the following notes 

 the strict order of the papers is not followed. 



The presidential address, by Major Darwin, dealing with the 

 scientific principles by which the development of Africa for 

 commercial purposes should be directed, was particularly 

 adapted for the place of meeting, on account of the very close 

 relations between Liverpool and West Africa. Mr. G. F. 

 Scott Elliot, in a communication on the influence of African 

 climate and vegetation on civilisation, made an effort to generalise 

 on the same subject from a different side. He divided Africa 

 into four regions : (i) The wet jungle, which is marked roughly 

 by the presence of the oil or coconut palm, numerous creepers 

 — especially the Landolphia (rubber vines) — and such forms as 

 Sesamum, Cajanus iiiciictis, and Manhihot as cultivated plants. 

 This region is characterised by great heat and continuous humidity, 

 without a season sufficiently dry to leave a mark on the vegetation. 

 (2) The deserts, characterised by xerophytic adaptations, by 

 Zilla, Mesembryanthemum, Capparis sodada, Sic. The climate is 

 distinguished by possessing no proper rainy season whatever. (3) 

 The acacia and dry grass region, characterised by acacias, tree 

 euphorbias, giant grasses, or frequently grassy plains in which 

 each tuft of grass is isolated. The climate is marked from all 

 the remaining regions by distinct dry and wet seasons ; the dry 

 season occupies from five to nine months, and leaves a distinct 

 mark on the vegetation. This region occupies practically all 

 Africa between 3000 feet and 5000 feet, and also extends below 

 3000 feet wherever the above climatic conditions prevail. (4) The 

 temperate grass and forest area is distinguished by having at no 

 season of the year such drought as leaves a permanent mark on 

 the vegetation, by a moderate rainfall, by moderate heat, &c. 

 The grass resembles the turf of temperate countiies, and the 

 forest shows the same sorts of adaptation as occur in temperate 

 countries. This region is found between 4600 feet and 7000 feet. 

 Of these regions the wet jungle is everywhere inhabited by 

 small tribes of a weak enfeebled character, and in the lowest 

 stage of civilisation. The desert, on the contrary, is the home 

 of exceedingly healthy and vigorous tribes. The Acacia region 

 is everywhere rather densely populate :1, but no emigrations in 



