Reports and Proceedings-^ 469 



At another place called Kobui the sulphur is of a grey colour and 

 deposited by water. It is very pure, but irregularly accumulated. 



The limestone of dark grey and light blue colour is cleaved, 

 metamorphosed, and unfossiliferous. Its quantity is stated at so 

 many millions of tons. 



Gold occurs in small grains and scales in the alluvial gravel that 

 borders the river of the Toshibets. This gold alluvium is in one 

 place 3y^-g-th miles in ai'ea, and 6 to 12 feet thick, containing, say, a 

 million and a half of dollars vs^orth. Other fields are smaller, and 

 one is on mica-schist and metamorphio rocks. The total value is 

 estimated under two and a half million dollars, and it is not thought 

 to give much encouragement for working. 



The rock-tar comes from the Toshibets Karafto system. It is in 

 soft bluish-grey shaly sandstone (Tertiary ?). There are moreover 

 oil wells having a small yield. 



Of mineral springs there are 21. Thirteen of them are sulphur 

 springs, varying in temperature from coldness to boiling ; six iron 

 springs from 27° to 91° ; one cold spring with copperas, and two 

 nearly pure springs of 30° to 50° of heat. 



Small quantities of pyrites, calcspar, kaolin, oil-gas, and some 

 "justly abandoned" lead-mines are alsO' mentioned. 



The climate of the country seems to be severe, with snow early 

 in November, but the winter months give a recess season for work- 

 ing out in detail the field operations of the Survey. 



From the above it will be seen that the geology of Yesso and the 

 First Eeport of its Geological Survey abound in interest. Hence we 

 may expect future details to be instructive ; and we trust the energetic 

 and painstaking Chief Geologist may be enabled to bring his under- 

 takino; to a successful issue. "W. 



Geologists' Association. 



I. — ExcunsiON INTO NoRTHAMPTONSHiKE. — Whit-Monday, May 

 25th, 1874, and following day. Director, Samuel Sharp, Esq., F.S.A., 

 F.G.S. 



The party, numbering about 16, was met by Mr. Sharp at Ells- 

 worth Station at 10*30 a.m. Mr. Sharp at once proceeded to give an 

 outline, illustrated by a diagram, of the formations in the district 

 through which he proposed to act as conductor. 



Proceeding upwards from the clays of the Upper Lias, we have a series of 

 beds, which, as developed in the neighbourhood of Ellsworth and Northampton, 

 sometimes attain a total thickness of 80 feet. These consist in their lower portions 

 of ironstones, often of great commercial value. The middle portions yield a red 

 building stone, much used in, and very characteristic of, the county ; whilst the 

 upper portion consists of white sands, frequently containing a plant- bed, and 

 usually characterized by vertical plant-markings. This latter is designated the 

 'Lower Estuarine Series,' the whole group being refeiTcd to the Inferior Oolite. 

 Throughout the country visited, extending from Blisv/orth in the S.W. to 

 Stamford in the N.E., points upwards of 40 miles apart, the sequence above 

 detailed holds true in the main for all portions of the district. When, however, 

 • we get above the Lower Estuarine bed, an important difference is observed to 



