36 Notices of Memoirs — F. Toala, The West Balkan. 



dug out at a little depth in the Cassiterides (book ii. cap. v. § 15) ; 

 this was about 57 B.C. 



Strabo further describes the Cassiterides as "islands in the high 

 seas just under the same latitude as Britain, northward and opposite 

 to the Artabri." 1 



(To be continued in our next Number.) 



UOTICES OIF IMIIEIMIOIIEeS. 



On the Geology oe the West Balkan. 3 By Fr. Toula. (Proceed. 

 Imper. Acad. Vienna, March 14, 1878.) 



THE southern margin of the Berkowiza-Balkan is composed of 

 Tithonian coral-limestones. Beneath these lie Middle-Liassic 

 strata, with Belemnites paxillosus, Spiriferina verrucosa, Bhynchonella 

 (near curviceps), and Gryplicea (near cymbium) . Beneath these are dark- 

 tinted limestones with Crinoids, small Gasteropods, Lima radiata, 

 and Betzia trigonella (Kecoaro Limestones), resting on red sandstones 

 of the Werfen Schists, which in their turn rest on argillaceous 

 schists of the Carboniferous (Culm) Formation. The Lower Triassic 

 Limestones stretch out wide above Pecenoberols, and upwards to the 

 summit of the defile, where the} 7 are seen to rest on intensely yellow 

 sandstones containing Myophoria costata. Near Ginci-Han Liassic 

 beds appear again. Their organic remains are — Belemnites paxillosus, 

 Schlth., Pleurotomaria (near expansa, Sow.), Bhynchonella acuta, 

 Sow., Spiriferina rostrata, Schlth., Lyonsia unioides, Gldf., Becten 

 liasinus, Nyst, Beet, sublcevis, Phill., Blicatula (near spinosa, Sow.), 

 Gryphcea (near fasciata, Tietze). The steep northern slope is 

 formed of granite, intersected by many veins of andesite. Farther 

 off, crystalline schists extend to beyond Berkovac. On the whole, 

 the Berkoviza-Balkan is an independent portion of the Balkan chain. 

 Cretaceous deposits are wanting throughout the section, except that 

 perhaps the coral-limestones on the southern side may possibly be 

 Lower Cretaceous, if not Tithonian. 



The crystalline schists past the line Berkovaz-Vraza are succeeded 

 by Palaeozoic argillaceous schists and conglomerates, overlain by red 

 sandstones and light-coloured limestones. Mighty masses of these 

 limestones, locally abounding with organic remains (Thamnastrcea, 

 Actinarcea, Beptomulticava, Chcstetes Coquandi, Mich., Lithodomus, 

 Gaprotina Lonsdalei, d'Orb.), rise above the Lower Triassic deposits. 

 Near Vraza, sandy limestones and marls, characterized by the presence 

 of Orbitolince, appear on the northern base of the Caprotina-lime- 

 stones. Several of their beds abound with fossils, as, — Ostrea 

 Vrazaensis, sp. nova, Bhynchonella (near lata, d'Orb.), Terebratula, 

 Waldheimia, Cerithium Forbesiannm, Turbo, Astarte numismalis, 

 Gyrena (?) lentiformis, Eoem., Gardium (near Ibbetsoni), Becten, 

 Areopagia gracilis, sp. nova, Terebratula, and Bhynchonella lata. 



1 Peacock, p. 107. 



2 Notes on the Geology of other parts of the Balkan, by M. Toula, are given 

 in the Geol. Mag. Dec. II. Vol. IV. p. 518. 



