296 REPORT— 1897. 



4. That iodine purified by the ' Stas Method,* and carefully dried, 

 reacts readily and completely with purified mercury. 



It may be pointed out that these particular elements were selected 

 for examination because they are among those whose interactions have 

 not hitherto been found to be influenced by the presence or absence of 

 traces of water- vapour among the acting substances ; and because it was 

 thought that we are now at a stage at which it is more important to 

 re-examine actions belonging to this class, than to seek for fresh instances 

 of substances which cease to interact when highly dried. 



5. That highly -purified chlorine does not, like oxygen, undergo conden- 

 sation when submitted to silent discharge of electricity. 



6. That highly-purified chlorine is very little affected by exposure to 

 direct sunlight, but that it becomes more sensitive if rendered impure by 

 the adding of traces of moist air. 



7. It has been noticed incidentally that lead glass may be heated to 

 its softening point in well-dried chlorine, without showing any signs that 

 it has been attacked, although in the damp state this kind of glass is 

 readily attacked by chlorine. 



8. A new form of vacuum trap is described in the paper referred to. 



It is recommended that the Committee be not reappointed, as no 

 further pecuniary assistance is likely to be needed, and the work can now 

 be carried on by those who are engaged upon it without further corporate 

 action. 



Life Zones in the British Carboniferous EocJcs. — Beport of the Com- 

 mittee, consisting of Mr. J. E. Mark (^Chairman), Mr. E. J. 

 Garwood (Secretary), and Mr. F. A. Bather, Mr. G. C. Crick, 

 Mr. A. H. FooRD, Mr. H. Fox, Dr. Wheelton Hind, Dr. G. J. 

 HiNDE, Mr. P. F, Kendall, Mr. J. W. Kirkley, Mr. R. Kidston, 

 Mr. G. W. Lamplugh, Professor G. A. Lebour, Mr. G. H. 

 Morton, Professor H. A. Nicholson, Mr. B. N. Peach, Mr. 

 A. Strahan, Dr. H. Woodward, and Dr. Traquair, appointed 

 to stud;/ the Life Zones in the British Carbonifero%is Eoclcs. (Drawn 

 up by Mr, Garwood.) 



In consequence of the early date on which it is necessary to submit 

 reports, little work has been done this year up to the present time, bub it 

 is hoped that during the summer months progress may be made with the 

 work of the Committee, and collections may be obtained from localities of 

 special importance. 



At present a collector is engaged upon the fauna of the Millstone 

 Grit at Eccup, five miles north of Leeds, where a fossiliferous black shell 

 has been met with during the excavation of a puddle-trench for a reser- 

 voir. The bed occurs about the centre of the ' Middle Grits ' of the 

 Yorkshire Millstone Grits. 



The bed, which was discovered by Mr. Percy Kendall, some three 

 years ago, contains a rich Marine fauna, which has not yet, however, been 

 properly worked out. The fauna includes species of Nucula and Leda in 

 great abundance and in excellent preservation, also numerous individual 

 specimens of Lingula and Discina. Gasteropods occur, and a few speci- 

 mens of Goniatites, together with well-preserved specimens of Conularia. 



