124 Canadian Record of Science. 



added to the staff, and a few other additions and changes 

 were made. 



The active work of the Commission began in June 1875, 

 and the coast region North of Rio to Cape San Roque was 

 explored. Here extensive cretaceous deposits were found, 

 with remains of sharks, crocodiles and other reptiles ; and 

 large collections of recent marine animals were made along 

 the coast. 



In the next year, the work in the maritime provinces 

 North of Rio was continued and abundant remains of rep- 

 tiles, fishes, and other animals were found. The diamond- 

 bearing gravels near Bahia were also examined for the pur- 

 pose of discovering the source of these gems. In the pro- 

 vince of Sergipe was gathered a rich harvest of cretaceous 

 fossils for the museum at Rio. 



In this and the following year (1877) explorations were 

 carried on in the provinces South of Rio, where Carboni- 

 ferous and Devonian or Silurian deposits were discovered, 

 rich in fossils, and the gold regions of this part of the em- 

 pire and of Minas G-eraes were examined by Mr. J. E. Mills. 



While this work was in progress in the South, Mr. Derby 

 was arriving at important results on the Amazonas, where 

 he proved the existence of an immense basin of Palaeozoic 

 rocks with carboniferous deposits occupying an extensive 

 area in the centre, surrounded by Devonian and Silurian 

 beds rich in fossils. Owing to the dense vegetation of the 

 lowlands of the valley of the Amazonas, they were unable 

 to discover whether these Carboniferous rocks held deposits 

 of coal or not. Immense collections of geological, zoo- 

 logical and ethnological specimens were sent to the capital 

 by the various exploring parties, and it was found necessary 

 to set apart a large house to contain them. 



In June 1877, prompted by motives of economy, and un- 

 acquainted with the amount and value of the work being 

 done by the Commission, the Government gave orders for 

 the temporary suspension of the Commission on the 1st of 

 July. The Emperor, soon after returning to Rio, fresh 

 from the Museums of the Old World and North America, 



