286 Correspondence — Prof. Edward Hull. 



affords distinct evidence of a persistent note-chord, with the arches 

 alone calcified; and as three Hybodont pterygo-quadrates of Liassic 

 and Wealden age appear to be destitute of an articular facette where 

 contiguous with the post-orbital region of the cranium, there is also 

 a corresponding indication of progressive development in the 

 mandibular arcb. The author also pointed out that the differences 

 between the anterior and posterior teeth are more marked in H. 

 dubrisiensis than in any of the earlier forms of which satisfactory 

 remains are known, and concluded by suggesting that future research 

 in regard to structures other than teeth will probably lead to the 

 generic subdivision of the multitudinous forms hitherto grouped 

 under the name of Eybodus. 



COZEilRIESiFO^IDIEIIsrOIE]. 



THE SUEVET OF WESTERN PALESTINE. 



Sir, — Permit me to offer two or three observations as regards 

 matters of fact in reply to the criticisms contained in the review of 

 the " Geological Memoir on Arabia Petraea and Palestine." The 

 reviewer says (p. 229) : " Fossils appear to be rare throughout the 

 [Cretaceo-Eocene] series — the Expedition does not seem to have 

 discovered any in fact." This is really not so. We brought home 

 a good many specimens, and I placed them in the hands of Professor 

 Sollas (who was so good as to describe the Carboniferous forms) 

 for determination. But owing to causes, doubtless quite sufficient, 

 I did not receive the specimens back till too late for publication. 

 Since then Prof. Sollas has informed me that there were no new 

 forms amongst them, as they had already been determined by Lartet 

 and others. It is only known to those who have made the attempt, 

 how difficult it is to collect fossils and specimens when on a journey 

 on camel- or horse-back, through the desert under a temperature of 

 80° Eahr. in the shade, and 11 2° in the sun. 



Again, in speaking of the " Calcareous Sandstone of Philistia," 

 the reviewer states, " No thickness is assigned to this deposit." I 

 have only to say in reply that owing to the extent to which Philistia 

 is overspread by the deposits of the 220 raised sea-bed — and with 

 loam — the sections of this sandstone are very rare ; nor had we 

 any opportunity of observing the junction of the sandstone with the 

 Nummulite-limestone. Both thickness and relations, as they are in- 

 ferred by me, may be gathered from the horizontal section, No. 1, 

 across Palestine. It is not improbable the formation has a thickness 

 of 300 to 400 feet. The reviewer seems to have overlooked the fact 

 that this sandstone appears to have its equivalent in the series at 

 Mokattam Hill, near Cairo, described by Schweinfurth. 



3. As regards the question, " What has become of the materials 

 which have been removed from the surface of the drainage area of 

 the Dead Sea?" (p. 231). As this basin never had an outlet, there 

 can be only one answer (which appears to me self-evident) — that 

 they are either used up in the terraces — or are spread over the floor 

 of the Dead Sea and Jordan-Arabah Valley. The bottom both of 



