558 W. Tojoley — On the Geological Congress. 



September 26tli, under the presidency of Prof. G. Capellini. About 

 200 geologists were present, those from Italy and France of course 

 largely preponderating. Although the number from various nations 

 were exceedingly' disproportionate, yet the International nature of 

 the Congress is sufficiently apparent from the following list, in which 

 the members are classified according to the countries to which they 

 belong : — Austria 4, Belgium 6, Canada 1, Denmark 1, Egypt 1, 

 France 17, Germanj' 6, Great Britain 5, Hungary 5, India 1, 

 Italy 130, Portugal 2, Roumania 1, Eussia 6, Scandinavia 1, Spain 4, 

 Switzei'land 8, United States 1. 



As full reports of the proceedings will be hereafter published, it 

 may suffice here to give a bi'ief summary of the results. Two 

 sittings were devoted to the discussion of Nomenclature, etc. The 

 Reports and recommendations of the various National Committees 

 had been summarized by Prof. Dewalque, who had drawn up a 

 general Report (embodying these results) in a series of propositions, 

 on which the votes were taken. The final result of the discussions 

 was the adoption of terras in the following order, the most compre- 

 hensive being placed first : — 



Divisions of sedimentary formations. Corresponding chronological terms. 



Group. Era. 



System. Period. 



Series. Epoch. 



Stao^e. Age. 



As equivalents of Series, the terms Section or Ahtheilung may be 

 used ; as a subdivision of stage, the words Beds or Assise. 



According to this scheme, we would speak of the Palseozoic 

 Group or Era, the Silurian System or Period, the Ludlow Series or 

 Epoch, and the Aymestry Stage or Age, The term " formation " 

 raised a difficult}', because this word is used by English geologists 

 in a sense unknown abroad. To bring our nomenclature into con- 

 formity with that of other nations, it will be necessary to use the 

 word only as descriptive of the mode of formation, or of the material 

 composing the rock. We maj' speak of the " Carboniferous Forma- 

 tion,"- as a group of beds containing coal ; but not as a name for a set of 

 rocks apart from the mineral contents. In like manner, we may speak 

 of the " Chalk Formation " but not of the " Cretaceous Formation." 

 Two sittings of the Congress were given to the questions concern- 

 ing the colours, signs, etc., best adapted for Geological Maps, with 

 the view of obtaining greater uniformity in this matter than hitherto. 

 On this subject a general Report had been drawn up, by Prof. 

 Eenevier, from the reports of the various National Committees. The 

 scheme of colours as finally adopted is as follows : — 



Groups or Systems. Colours. 



Crystalline Schists of Pre-Cambrian Age ... Bright rose -carmine. 



,, ,, Unknown Age Pale rose -carmine. 



Paleozoic rocks (Question reserved for Map Committee.) 



Trias Violet. 



Lias Dark Blue. 



Jui-assic Blue. 



Cretaceous Green. 



Tertiary Shades of Yellow, the newer divisions to 



be in lighter tints. 



