330 Excursions of the Geologists' Association. 



2. "Note regarding the Occurrence of Jade in the Karatash 

 Valley, on the southern borders of Turkestan." By Dr. Ferdinand 

 Stoliczka, F.G.S., Naturalist attached to the Yarkund Mission. 



In this paper the author described the jade-mines on the right 

 bank of the Karakash river formerly worked by the Chinese. There 

 are about 120 holes in the side of the hill, and these at a little 

 distance look like pigeon-holes. The rocks are a thin- bedded, rather 

 sandy syenitic gneiss, mica- and hornblende-schists, traversed by 

 veins of a white mineral, apparently zeolitic, which in turn are 

 traversed by veins of jade. 



Discussion.— Mr. Topley stated that a good description of these quarries had 

 appeared in " Macmillaii's Magazine." 



Mr, Eudler said that they had also "been described in a German periodical. 



The President remarked that in the account of the mission to Yunan jade was said 

 to occur in rolled blocks in river-beds, and not to be found in situ^ 



Geologists' Association. 

 I. — Visit to the British Museum, March 24. — The members, headed 

 by Prof. Morris, proceeded to the Mineralogical Department, where 

 they were received by Prof. Maskelyne, who described a portion of the 

 collection under his charge. The learned Professor directed the at- 

 tention of the party principally to the Rock- forming minerals. Free 

 Silica, under the various forms of Eoek-crystal, Quartz, Opal, etc., 

 was first touched upon, and the splendid series of crystals belonging 

 to this group brought under the notice of the party. The earthy 

 Carbonates were next noticed and described ; and the Professor, after 

 directing attention to the Hornblende and Augite series, concluded 

 a most interesting address, in the course of which he took the op- 

 portunity of impressing upon members the great similarity, yet 

 important differences existing between these two groups of minerals. 



IL — Excursion to Oxford, Easter Monday, 6th April, and 

 FOLLOWING DAY. — The party, consisting of numerous members from 

 the metropolis, and several from different parts of England, met in the 

 new University Museum at noon. They were there most cordially 

 received by Prof. Phillips, who at once proceeded to announce the 

 programme of the day's work. This was — A preliminary sketch in 

 the lecture-room, by the Professor, of the Geology of the Middle Oolites 

 as developed in the neighbourhood of Oxford. Demonstration by the 

 Professor of the Local Collection in the Museum, illustrating the above. 

 Lunch at the Professor's private residence. A walk to Shotover, under 

 the guidance of Mr. Parker. Tea and conversazione at the Professor's 

 private residence in the evening. In the course of his remarks. Prof. 

 Phillips pointed out the character of the low-level gravels in the 

 valleys of the district, their composition mainly Oolitic, with some 

 admixture of quartzites,felstones, and grits; elephants' teeth abundant. 

 The Oxford-clay in the neighbourhood of the city 600 feet thick. 

 Towards the upper part of the formation, at the brick-yards of St. 

 Clements, Am. vertebralis is an abundant fossil. The valley of the 

 Cherwell is cut down to this clay. On ascending the flanks of 

 the valley, it is succeeded by seventy feet of calcareous grit, a loose 

 sandy rock in parts cemented by carbonate of lime. Fifty feet of 

 Coralline Oolite succeeds, rich in corals and shells. From the 



