Geological Society of London. 85 



felspatliic depositH of SancTy Bay RiJ<?o, and tlio almost Viorizontal 

 beds of tlio Loiif^wood district boiiij; tlio latest lavas, succeeding to 

 disturbances of the earlier formations. G. The nature of the parallel 

 dykes at Sandy Bay. The floor, however, of this ^eat crater, and 

 its remarkable rim are more minutely described by Darwin. 



Surely, if such bo the results of a careful comparison of the 

 unpretending brochure before us with the high-class production of 

 such a learned geologist as Darwin, we ought to congratulate the 

 veteran, in that the integrity of his work is so well supported by the 

 independent researches of another ; and we ought to congratulate 

 Capt. Oliver on having observed and philosophized so well as to find 

 his work fully in accord with that of his great, but to him unknown 

 predecessor. Lastly, wo have to welcome among us a geologist who 

 can add to our knowledge of the geological history of St. Helena 

 one of the oldest and least known of volcanic cones ; and that, with 

 the greater pleasure, as a military officer, one of many, who have 

 helped, and will help to increase the bounds and influence of Natural 

 Science by the exercise of their own intellectual powers, and by the 

 diffusion of useful knowledge. T. E. J. 



GEOLOGiCAii Society of London. — December 22nd, 1869. — Prof. 

 Huxley, LL.D., F.E.S., in the chair. The following communica- 

 tions were read : — 1. " On the Iron-ores associated with the Basalts 

 of the North-east of Ireland." By Ealph Tate, Esq., Assoc. Linn. 

 Soc, F.G.S., and John S. Holden, M.D., F.G.S. 



The authors introduced their account of the iron-ores of the 

 Antrim basalts, by stating that since 1790 an iron band had been 

 known in the midst of the basalt of the Giant's Causeway, but that 

 only within the last few years have further discoveries been made, 

 which have developed a new branch of industry in the north-east of 

 Ireland. 



The iron-ore of the numerous exposures was considered to repre- ■ 

 sent portions of one sheet, extending uniformly throughout the basalt, 

 and over a very large area. Indeed everywhere the iron band and 

 its associated rock-masses present identical features, from which the 

 authors deduced the following generalized section : — 



The underlying basalt gradually passes upwards into a variegated 

 lithomarge of about 30 feet thick, graduating insensibly into a red 

 or yellow ochre or bole of about 5 to 6 feet in thickness, which passes 

 into a dense red ochreous mass of about 2 feet, charged with ferru- 

 ginous spheroids consisting chiefly of a protoxide and peroxide. The 

 spheroids are of the average size of peas ; they increase in number 

 and size towards the upper part of the band, and not unfrequently 

 constitute that portion of it. The line of junction between the iron 

 band and the overlying, and usually more or less columnar basalt, 

 is in all cases well defined, and in a few instances exhibits decided 

 unoonformability. 



