666 
two great north and south basins of very dissimilar characters; and 
the classification of certain cupriferous deposits of sand, marl, lime- 
stone, &c. under the term of “ Permian system.” As the explana- 
tion of the reasons which led to the suggestion of this name will be 
shortly offered to you in full detail, I should not now occupy your 
time by alluding to it, had not the mention of the word already called 
forth from M. A. Erman the remark, that these deposits have been 
long known to other observers. I admit that they were mineralo- 
gically known, but I deny that their geological position had been 
determined by any competent geologist previous to the researches 
of myself and friends; and I contend that there was no Russian 
formation concerning whose age so many contradictory opinions 
had been expressed. As a proof of this, 1 may state that the illus- 
trious Humboldt himself assured me in the spring of last year, that 
it was the great point to which he hoped our Jabours would be di- 
rected. So strongly indeed was the difficulty of placing these strata 
in their correct geological horizon felt by Russian observers, that 
Major Wangenheim von Qualen, who had long and patiently studied 
them in stéw, and Dr. Fischer, who had ably described many of 
their fossil contents, at once abandoned the field to my associates 
and myself; and put us in possession of all their knowledge, avow- 
ing their inability to arrive at a satisfactory geological conclusion. 
I was, therefore, surprised to read the premature criticism of M. A. 
Erman; the more so, as that author has called a large portion of the 
great limestone of Russia, Jurassic, which we have ascertained to be 
carboniferous, and to form the support of the hitherto anomalous 
system, which we shall endeavour to place in parallel with its equi- 
valents in Germany and the British Isles, by showing its place in 
the order of superposition, and by describing the fauna and flora by 
which it is characterized as a distinct type intermediate between the 
Carboniferous and Triassic systems. 
FRENCH SCHOOL. 
From the northern parts of Europe let us now pass to the consider- 
ation of the chief points of progress which our opposite neighbours 
are making. The publication of the splendid geological map of 
France, executed by Messieurs Elie de Beaumont and Dufrénoy, 
is indeed a subject of gratulation for the scientific men of all coun- 
tries. Commenced in 1827, the map would have appeared five or 
six years earlier, had not the engraving of it led to unexpected 
delays. The part surveyed by each author is easily defined. France 
was divided by a line, proceeding from Havre, through Alencon, 
Avallon, Lyons, and Marseilles, to the Mediterranean. The western 
part was assigned to M. Dufrénoy, and the eastern to M. de Beau- 
mont; but each was empowered to extend his observations, not 
only beyond the line of division, but also into those parts of the 
neighbouring countries which are included within the limits of the 
map. 
The authors pursued their researches separately for several years, 
but as soon as they had settled the bases of classification they united 
