TKANSACTIONS OF SECTION C. 



675 



coralline oolite, and Portland oolite. Experiment has shown that a pseiidomorph 

 of carbonate of lime may be obtained when carbonate of soda is acted upon by 

 chloride of lime ; and he thought that many oolitic grains were pseudomorphs. 

 In the magnesian limestone grains of dolomite present all the characters of oolite. 

 In the carboniferous limestone it is common for large foraminifera to be the nuclei 

 of oolitic grains so as almost to justify the view of Dr. "\V. B. Carpenter that 

 oolites are foraminiferal limestones where the foraminifera are coated with calcite. 

 In the secondary oolites nuclei are less frequent, and often include several grains 

 of sand. It is difficult to account for a pellet of sand acting as a nucleus, but the 

 author believed the interpretation of Dr. Sorby to be satisfactory with a single 

 nucleus. The author attributed the small size of the grains to the small trans- 

 porting power of the current which is assumed to have formed them by rolling. 



Almost all limestones are of organic origin, and the author drew attention to 

 the close resemblance of the iuternodal grains of the nuUipores to .grains of oolite 

 as furnishing a further explanation of oolitic texture. These grains show a con- 

 centric structure as well as a radiated tubular structure, which would favour the 

 recrystallisation such as commonly occurs. 



TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11. 



The following Papers and Reports were read : — 



1. Notes of some Researches on the Fossil Fishes of Chiavun, Vicenfino 

 {Stratum of Sotzka, Loioer Miocene). By Professor Feaxcesco 

 Bassani. 



These fossiliferous Marls were first discovered by Baron Zigno in 1852, who 

 referred them to the Lower Miocene, since which time Ileckel, Heer, Molon, 

 Bayan, and Messrs. Lioy, Suess, Sauvage, Hdbert, Munier-Chalmas, Stur, Friedrich, 

 and Staub have studied their fauna and flora. 



The abundant materials here investigated were derived from many public and 

 private museums, and represent plants and animals, amongst which are a few crus- 

 taceans badly preserved, very few insects, many beautiful lish, two bones of birds, 

 and some amphibia. 



The plants were described by Massalongo and Poberto di Visiani, the insects by 

 Omboni and Heckel, Kner, and Messrs. Steindachner and de Zigno have occupied 

 themselves with the Ichthyolites. At this epoch the fish-fauna of Chiavon was 

 represented by seventeen species, of which only six were figured, as follows : — 



1. Galeodcs jyriscus, Heckel (not fig.). 



2. Myliobates Clavonis, Zigno (fig.). 



r>. Myliohatcs Icptacantlms, Zigno (fig.). 

 4. Clupea hreviceps. Heck, (not fig.). 

 .5. Meletta fjraciilima. Heck, (not fig.). 

 (>. Alausa latissima, Heck, (not fig.). 

 7. Engraulis h^igiplnms, Heck, (not fig.). 

 R. Engratilis hrerijnnnis. Heck, (not fig.). 

 9. Chanos hrevis (Heck.) Kner St. (tig.) 

 {Albvla hrevis, Heck.). 



(Heck.) Kner St. 

 B.eck.—Alh. 



10. Chanos Zignoi 

 (fig.) {Albula 

 lata, id.). 



11. Smcrdis analis, Heck, (not fig.). 



12. Smerdis aduncus, id. (not fig.). 



13. Smerdis minutiis, Ag. (not fig.). 



14. Gerrcs Massalongi, Heck, (not fig.) 



15. Caranx oralis, id. (fig.). 



16. Caranx rigidicaudus, id. (fig.). 



17. 1 Mene (not fig., not descr.). 



My researches have augmented in a notable manner the number of species, 

 which now amounts to fifty-eight, as may be seen from the following table. This 

 shows, at the same time, their tropical and marine characters. 



X X 2 



