370 Reports and Proceedings — 



Quarry, where tlie doloraitic rock, instead of being hard and 

 crystalline, is friable and almost sandy. The Stromatoporidge 

 appear to have grown in the position in which they are found. 

 They can be traced for a few yards from the friable portion of the 

 rock, but gradually become merged in the crystalline rock, and then 

 their internal structure is obliterated. The author noticed the 

 various Corals, Crinoids, and Brachiopods which occur associated 

 with the Stromatoporidae. The author regarded the Stromatoporid^ 

 as a somewhat heterogeneous mixture of organisms, but did not 

 believe that they were, as had been asserted, originally siliceous. 

 Some seem clearly to be of a structure like that of the Milleporidse. 

 With regard to Caunopora placenta (Lonsd.) the author quoted Prof. 

 Phillips's remarks as to the characters of the tubes traversing its mass. 

 He had observed in sections from near Teignmouth, that the axis of 

 the tube is lamelliferous, giving some appearance of a columella. 



6. " On a new Species of Loftusia from British Columbia." By 

 George M. Dawson, D.Sc, F.Gr.S., Assoc. E.S.M., of the Geological 

 Survey of Canada. 



The specimens on which the genus Loftusia was founded in 1869 

 were brought from Persia by Mr. Loftus, and the rock from which 

 they were derived was conjecturally assigned to the earliest Ter- 

 tiaries. The species now described (L. columhiana) is found in a 

 limestone probably of Carboniferous age, and occurs in the banks of 

 Marble Canon, Frazer Eiver. It appears to be very thick, but may 

 be repeated by folds. Crinoidal columns and Fusulince have been 

 sparingly found in it. Where the Loftusia is abundant it becomes 

 almost the sole fossil, and sometimes occurs as numerously as Glo- 

 higeriniB in the Atlantic ooze. 



Loftusia Columbiana differs from L. persica in size, its longer dia- 

 meter averaging about 0-3 inch, and its shorter one 0-19-0-2 inch. 

 No regular furrowing of the outer surface has been observed, but 

 some specimens show a tendency to acervuline growth. The struc- 

 ture is very like that of L. persica as described by Mr. Brady, 

 although the nucleus is not quite so distinctly cancellated ; the test 

 consists of a primary layer coiled upon itself, with " secondary " 

 septa very oblique to it, and " tertiary " columns expanding at the 

 outer ends into cross-like " rafters," supporting the roof formed by 

 the primary lamina. A loose cancellated growth also depends from 

 the roof between these rafters, analogous to a more regular structure 

 observed in L. persica. The usual number of convolutions is about 

 10, but as many as 17 have been observed. 



II.— June 19, 1878.— John Evans, Esq., D.C.L., F.E.S., Vice- 

 President, in the Chair. 



Important Notice. — The Chairman stated that a letter had been 

 received from Count Gaston de Saporta, announcing that the Con- 

 gress of the French Association for the Advancement of Science will 

 be this year held in Paris from the 22nd to the 29th August. As 

 President of the Geological Section, M. de Saporta invites Fellow-s 

 of the Geological Society to take part in the proceedings of this 



