730 . KEPORT— 1900. 



see catastropliism yield to uniformitarianism, and tin's to eTolution, tut each as 

 it disappears leaves behind some precious residue of truth. For the future of our 

 scieuce our ambition is that which inspired the closing words of vour last 

 President's Address, that it maj' become more experimental and exact. Our pi-e- 

 sent watchword is Evolution. May our next be Measurement and Experiment, 

 Experiment and Measurement. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. Notes on the Geology and Palceontology of Patagonia. 

 By W. B. Scott, Princeton University, 



For the past four years Princeton University has been conducting explorations 

 in Patagonia under the direction of Mr. J. B. Hatcher. The large expenses of the 

 uudertalving have been defrayed by the generosity of friends in Kew York and 

 Baltimore, and Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan has given the sum of 5,000/. for the 

 publicHtion of the important results v.'hich Mr. Hatcher has obtained. 



The oldest sedimentary formation observed is a marine Cretaceous found in the 

 Cordillera ; the Ammonites of this horizon have been studied by Mr. Stanton, and 

 he rrportsthat they indicate Gault age and show close relationship to the Uitenhage 

 beds of South Africa. 



The oldest marine Tertiaries are given in the section near the Straits of 

 Magellan, and my assistant, Dr. Ortmann, informs me that tlie fossils point to a 

 late Eocene or Oligocene age for these beds, which he has called the Magellanian 

 beds. These are overlaid by the great Patagonian formation, which is of great 

 extent, of marine origin, and richly fossiliferous. The 200 species of marine 

 invertebrate fossils obtained from this horizon have been studied by Dr. Ortmann, 

 and lead to some very interesting conclusions. In the first place they unequi- 

 vocally demonstrate the Miocene age of the beds (not Cretaceous and oldest 

 Eocene as Ameglimo has maintained), and in the second place they display the 

 closest resemblance to the Miocene of Australia and New Zealand, pointing to a 

 shore connection witli those countries in Miocene times. The Patagonian and 

 supra-Patagoiiian stages are shown not to be distinguishable. 



The Santa Cruz beds, a fresh-water and terrestrial formation, overlie and 

 partially dovetail in with the Patagonian. They contain an incredibly abimdant 

 and varied mammalian fauna, of which a vast collection was brought home. This 

 fauna has only a very remote connection with the Miocene mammals of the 

 northern hemisphere, and strongly confirms Piitimeyer's contention of a southern 

 centre of distribution. The presence of numerous carnivorous marsupials (there 

 are no true Carnivora) is additional evidence of a connection, direct or indirect, 

 with Australia. 



Unconformably overlying the Santa Cruz is another marine formation, dis- 

 covered by Mr. Hatcher and by him named the Cape Fairweather beds. The 

 fossils indicate the Pliocene age of these beds. 



Mr. Hatcher's labours have thus resulted in proving that Patagonian geology 

 is in complete accord with the system established for the northern hemisphere, and 

 that it is not of such exceptional character as has been supposed. 



2. On the Order of the Formation of the Silicates in Igneous Bocks. 

 By Prof. J. JoLY, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S. 



The viscous properties of fused silica are shown, by experiments on the 

 stretching of ' quartz fibres,' to extend to temperatures so low as 716° C. The 

 silica fibre develops crystalline structure at 1040° C. Eock crystal in fine powder 

 exposed on the platinum ribbon of the meldometer to a temperature of 1100° C. 

 for lour hours shows distinct evidence of fusion. At 1200° C, falling to 915° C. 

 in eighteen hours, its fusion and incipient recrystallisation are easily accomplished. 



The principal silicates under prolonged heating (four hours) melt at tempera- 



