Correspondence — J. W. Gregory. 95 



blocks having been taken from the nearest escarpment. The whole 

 structure belongs to the type of monument known as cromlech or 

 dolmen, and the irregular form and small dimensions are probably to 

 be explained by the fact that the chief consideration was the feat of 

 raising the enormous blocks, the utility of the chamber beneath being 

 of secondary importance. 



CORRBSPOWDEnSTCE. 



PROFESSOR LOEWINSON-LESSING. 1 

 Sir, — It was arranged in January, 1914, that a German translation 

 of Professor Loewinson-Lessing's important memoir on the volcanoes 

 of the central Caucasus should be published in Tschermaks 

 Mitteilungen. Owing to the strike of the printers in Vienna the 

 publication of the memoir was delayed till the summer, and before 

 its issue war was declared. It has subsequently been published, and 

 Professor Loewinson-Lessing is anxious that it should be understood 

 by his English friends and fellow-geologists that the publication of 

 this memoir in Austria was arranged before the War and that he has 

 since then had no share in its production. 



As Professor Loewinson-Lessing has asked me to explain why his 

 memoir has appeared in an Alien journal during the course of the 

 War, I shall be much obliged if you would issue this explanation. 



J. W. Gregory. 



Geological Department, University, Glasgow. 

 January 17, 1917. 



OBITUAET. 



ERNEST SWAIN. 

 Born January 15, 1843. Died December 20, 1916. 



Although he never contributed to any scientific publication, Ernest 

 Swain was well known to a past generation of geologists as a keen 

 student of the science and a constant attendant at the meetings 

 of the Geological Society and Geologists' Association. Of the latter 

 he remained a member till the last. 



He was born at Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, and educated 

 privately and at King's College, of which he became an Associate. 

 His life was passed in business in the West End, but all his spare 

 time was devoted to scientific studies, and his museum and library 

 were open to all friends and students, many of whom owed their 

 start on a scientific career to his influence and aid. He was an 

 active member of the quondam West London Scientific Association 

 and the succeeding Western Microscopical Club. He devoted much 

 time to the compilation of commonplace books, of which he kept 

 some 140 going on the subjects that interested him. Unhappily he 

 latterly met with bad times and retired to Chorley Wood, where he 

 died at the close of last year. 



1 Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in the Polytechnic Institute, 

 Sosnovka, Petrograd, Russia. 



