Editorials. 



The circular of information regarding the Sixth International 

 Congress of Geologists, to be held at Zurich from August 29th 

 to September 2d, presents a most inviting programme of excur- 

 sions, which may be taken by members of the Congress, in the 

 picturesque and geologically famous regions of the Swiss Alps 

 and the neighboring Jura Mountains. It is proposed to organize 

 two groups of excursions conducted by geologists, many of whom 

 have devoted the better part of their lives to the investigation of 

 the country visited. The first group will be offered immediately 

 before the meeting of the Congress, and is so arranged that those 

 participating in them will arrive at Zurich a day or two before the 

 opening of the Congress. These excursions will be devoted to 

 various portions of the Jura Mountains. They will be organized 

 in different towns, where those intending to take the excursions 

 are to join the conductors of the parties. The second group of 

 excursions take place immediately after the Congress adjourns, 

 and will start from Zurich on September 3d, and will traverse the 

 Alps by various routes, terminating at Lugano, about September 

 1 6th, where the Congress will be formally closed. There will be 

 two classes of excursions. One class will be made on foot, in 

 order that the geology of the country may be more carefully 

 examined. The other will be by means of conveyances. The 

 pedestrian excursions will necessarily be open to a limited number 

 of persons, and warning is served that a certain amount of quasi- 

 military discipline will be required by the leader, from which 

 appeal may be made to the whole body of participants. The 

 expediency of such a regulation will be apparent to all who have 

 attempted to conduct similar tours. The second class of excur- 

 sions will make use of railways, steamboats and carriages, and 

 will aim to reduce to a minimum the distance to be gone over on 



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