286 Correspondence — Ernest Gibson. 



shark-like teeth, to which special interest attaches, owing to 

 a similarity, recently pointed out by Dr. Eastman, to fossil teeth 

 occurring in the Upper Cretaceous, which would appear to indicate 

 the existence of Characinidae in that geological epoch, a range in 

 time which Mr. Boulenger had predicted as probable thirteen 

 years ago. 



COI?.I?.E!S:E'03SriDEl]SrOE. 



DEPOSIT OF GRANULAR IRON-ORE ON THE COAST OF 

 BUENOS AYRES. 



Sir, — The newspapers of Buenos Ayres have recently announced 

 the discovery of a deposit of granulous iron-ore on the Atlantic sea- 

 board of the province of that name. As the whole Argentine 

 Jlepublic has hitherto only been able to boast of one genuine occur- 

 rence of that valuable mineral, in the shape of the famous meteorite 

 hurled into the Gran Chaco in the north (see section of same in 

 the Geological Department of the British Museum (Natural History), 

 South Kensington), popular curiosity was much aroused and excited. 



As possibly the subject may contain some points of interest, 

 I herewith furnish the more important details. 



The locality is the sea-coast and both sides of the mouth of the 

 Eiver Quequen Grande, in (roughly) lat. 38° and long. 58°. And 

 it is somewhat to the south of the recently named Chapadmalalense 

 formation, the site of the Ameghino palseontographical controversy. 



The total area of the deposits is estimated at some 5,000 hectareas. 

 It is stated that the magnetic iron-ore is found distributed 

 through the sand from the surface to an average depth of 

 10 metres (otherwise to where it rests on the "tosca" or loess of 

 the Pampean formation), and in a proportion of 30 per cent of 

 mineral. The result, in accordance with these figures, would, 

 represent the colossal amount of 750 millions of tons. As, however, 

 the preceding is the commercial phase, or view taken by the parties 

 who have obtained the concession for exploiting the situation, it may 

 be open to very considerable discount. 



I have before me the analysis and reports furnished by various 

 Government specialists and departments. On account of the length, 

 etc., of these, I have selected in preference one emanating from 

 London itself, and which is as follows : — 



Analysis of Two Samples of Mineral. 



Marked 18. Marked 21. 



100-00 100-00 



