Miscellaneous. 



Morris's '' Catalogue of British. Fossils," a series of Lithographed 

 Plates (tinted), containing figures of species characteristic of the 

 principal groups of British Fossiliferous Strata. The desirability of 

 such a series of figures as an important aid in the identification of 

 strata will appear obvious to those engaged in the study of geology, 

 and in mining operations. Mr. Baily proposes to issue these plates, 

 consisting of faithful representations of the most remarkable fossils 

 (original, as far as possible), at sbort intervals, in numbers, without 

 descriptions, but with an explanation of each plate. Each wrapper, 

 to include ten plates, price 5s. Such a work will be extremely 

 useful and we heartily wish Mr. Baily's publication the success it 

 deserves ; the labour, however, will be immense. 



Important Discovery. — After the patient and costly labour of 

 four years, coal has at length been struck in the New Stafford pits, 

 near Priors-lee, on the line of railway between Wellington and Shifi"- 

 nal. The coal is of the description known as the double coal, the 

 seam is six feet three inches in thickness, and, lying perfectly hori- 

 zontal, promises a rich field. At present, the men are working 

 through the yellowstone, ironstone, and yard coal; and from the 

 geological characteristics of the district it is confidently expected 

 that the blue and white flat ironstone, the flint coal, the pennystone, 

 the sulphur, and other mineral strata of great value will succeed in 

 due course. The distance at which this coal has been struck is only 

 620 feet, but the cost of working the mine has, nevertheless, been 

 considerable, from the unusually hard nature of the rock thi'ough 

 which it has been reached. The works have been carried on under 

 the direction of the Lilleshall Company, but it is understood that 

 Lord Granville and the Duke of Sutherland are jDrincipally interested 

 in the discovery. The pit is one of the most easterly in th.e Shrop- 

 shire coal-field, and is sunk just where the Coal-measures are over- 

 lapped by the Permian beds. Another sinking, about three and a 

 half miles to the south of the new Stafford pits, is being carried on 

 by the Madeley Wood Company, in the parish of Kemberton, where 

 Permian red marls and sandstones, from sixty to eighty yards thick, 

 overlie the Coal-measures> the upper part of which has he&n. 

 penetrated to a considerable depth. These two pits ivill be of the 

 greatest value in helping to determine the easterly extension of the 

 Shropshire coal-field, and, when completed, will probably lead to 

 sinkings being made further to the east through the red beds 

 separating the Shropshire and Staffordshire coal-fields. — Gr. M. 



Earthquake Shock in Paris.- — At about 5.15 yesterday morning 

 a shock of an earthquake was felt in parts of Paris and its neigh- 

 bourhood, especially in the direction of Versailles, in which town 

 persons say that when awakened by the motion they heard a crack- 

 ing of the walls and floors, and that the first shock was followed by 

 several others. Persons in Paris have told me they awoke about the 

 time the shock took place, but went to sleep again without being 

 aware of what had occiured. It appears that it was also felt in the 



