S76 Heports and Proceedings — Geological Society of London. 



A large collection of rocks and fossils, obtained by the members 

 of the Jackson-Harmsworth ExjDedition, chiefly from the neigh- 

 bourhood of Cape Flora, on the south-west of Northbrook Island, but 

 also from more distant localities visited during boat- and sledge- 

 journeys, have been sent to the Director-General of the Geological 

 [Survey, and examined by the authors. 



After a summary of what was pi-eviously known of the geology of 

 Franz Josef Land, an account of the new specimens is given. The 

 rocks are for the most part basalts and are described in detail ; 

 they are usually formed of labradorite, augite, and interstitial matter 

 which is sometimes represented by palagonite containing a large 

 percentage of iron-oxide. This palagonite is regarded as the hydrated 

 representative of the residual magma left after the separation of 

 labradorite and augite ; and the conclusion is reached that in this 

 case progressive crystallization has resulted in the concentration of 

 iron-oxide in the mother liquor. 



Most of the fossils have been collected around Cape Flora. The 

 presence of Ammonites macroce^jliahis, A. modiolaris, and Belemnites 

 Panderi indicate the presence of rocks of Lower Oxfordian cr Callo- 

 vian age ; while, apparently above these, a plant-bed was met with 

 in which the genus Ginkgo [Salishuria) is conspicuous, and this is 

 elieved to be of Upper Jurassic age. 



The oldest fossiliterous bed yet found occurs about twenty miles to 

 the west of Cape Flora, and also contains plant-remains, which, it ia 

 thought, may be Lower Jurassic and possibly of the age of the Great 

 Oolite. The plant-beds and numerous indications of layers of 

 lignite seem to show that these Jurassic strata are to a great extent 

 of estuarine or fresh- water oiigin. 



The general structure of the country appears to be typified by 

 what occurs at Cape Flora, where clifis of sedimentary strata some 

 600 feet high (for the most part hidden by talus) are overlain by 

 500 feet of basalt. At some other localities, however, the basalt is 

 found at the sea-level. 



It is pointed out that the islands which make up the archipelago 

 of Franz Josef Land, are fragments of a formerly extensive region of 

 plateau-basalts, similar to that of which the Feeroe and the Western 

 Isles of Scotland must have formed a part. 



2. "Deposits of the Bajocian Age in the North Cotteswolds. — 

 L The Cleeve Hill Plateau." By S. S. Buckman, Esq., F.G.S. 



This paper deals with a portion of the Northern Cotteswolds 

 termed the Cleeve Hill plateau ; and, like a previous communication 

 on the Mid Cotteswolds, it is concerned with the deposits which 

 intervene between the Upper Freestone and the Upper Trigonia- 

 grit. The author shows that in the Cleeve Hill plateau there is, 

 beneath the Upper Trigonia-grit, a further series of beds which 

 have not been found elsewhere in the Cotteswolds, and by placing 

 them in their order he is able to show the sequence of the Cleeve 

 Hill " Inferior Oolite " rocks, about which there has been so much 

 misconception. A map is given to show the positions of the 

 different quarries, with notes as to the strata which they exhibit. 



