TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 73 



are as dark as if they had been freshly broken from the matrix. One remarkable 

 characteristic of this breccia is the extreme hardness of the crystalline limestone 

 which forms it. If, as Mr. Dawkins considers, some of the teeth are identical 

 wath those of our existing Reindeer, with the Ked Deer, Elk, Bos primiyenius, and 

 Bison minor, we have the ancient range of those quadrupeds extended to a point 

 more southerly than any previously ascertained. 



On the Sulphur and Bitumen Deposit at tlie South-West Corner of the Dead 

 Sea. By the Rev. H. B. Tristram, M.A., F.L.S. 



The Mahawat is a broad, deep, dry ravine, commencing two miles to the south- 

 west of the Dead Sea and running up to the westward, being the drainage debouch 

 of the Negeb. The Wady is similar in character to the Wady Zuweirah — the 

 same shai-p cutting through the old limestone, only on a much larger scale, the 

 same deposition of the post-tertiary marl, the same entire denudation of this latter. 

 But, since the post-tertiary marl has been altogether getting washed out, there has 

 been a second filling in of an extraordinary character, which is only now in course 

 of being washed out. Masses of bitumen, mingled with gi-avel overlying a thin 

 stratum of sulphur, which again overlies a thicker stratum of sand so strongly im- 

 pregnated with sulphur that it yields powerful fumes on being sprinkled over a hot 

 coal, are exposed on the sides of the Wadj-, chiefly on the south. Many large masses 



have been washed down, and are scattered on the plain Here is the only trace 



of igneous action we have met with in our most careful examination of the coasts so 

 far. The author had a dread of attempting to corroborate Scripture by natural or 

 physical arguments which may be refuted ; for the objector is apt to think that, when 

 he has refuted the weak argument, he has refuted the Scriptural statement ; but, so 

 far as he miderstood it, if there be any physical evidence left on earth of a catastrophe 

 similar to that which destroyed the cities of the plain, it is here. The whole ap- 

 pearance points to a shower of hot sulphur and an eruption of bitumen upon it, cal- 

 cined and impregnated by its fumes, and this at a geological period quite subsequent 

 to all the diluvial and alluvial actions. It may have been from a sulphm* and bitu- 

 men spring on the spot, when the flow of water was more abundant ; but of this we 

 could detect no trace. Unfortunately no traveller has ever penetrated the Wady 

 before us, and therefore we have no opinions of more competent observers to guide 

 us. Robinson and Yandevelde passed to the south of it. De Saulcy^ Porter, Wol- 

 cott, and Poole all went to the north. 



On the Family of the Eurypteridce, with Descriptions of some New Genera and 

 Species. By Hexrt "Woodward, F. O.S. 



The author gave a sketch of the history of this group of Palseozoic Crustacea, 

 and illustrated the peculiarities of each genus by a series of diagrams. He pointed 

 out the close affinities which the Eurypteridce display to the Limnlidce (King- 

 crabs), a group which begins in the coal-measures and appears to have existed 

 (with slight modifications in form) fr-om that period to the present time. Mr. 

 Woodward defined the fonns belonging to the genera Pteryyottis, Eurypterns, 

 Slimonia, and Stylomirns, and described others belonging to the new genus ITe- 

 miaspis — in all, thirtj'-three British species. With the exception of Hemiaspis 

 from the Lower Ludlow rocks of Lemtwardine, Shropshire, the new material 

 collected since the publication of Messrs. Huxley and Salter's Monograph in 1859 

 has all resulted from the independent labours of Mr. James Powrie, F.G.S., of 

 Reswallie in Forfarshire, and Mr. Robert Slimon, of Lesmahagow in Lanarkshire. 



On the Development of Ammonites. By Dr. Thomas Weight, F.R.S.E., F.G.S. 



The author first stated the difficulties the Palaeontologist experienced in attempt- 

 ing to imderstand the synonyms of several species of Ammonites, as many of the 

 species had been established on imperfect or transitional forms. By reference to 

 the moi-phology of the Acalephse, Echinodermata, Insecta, and Crustacea, he ex- 

 plained how many of the species in these classes pass through more or less exten- 

 sive changes in form and structure between their escape from the egg and their 



