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above quoted. He describes the structure and distribution of the 

 chalk, the firestone, and the green and ferruginous sands j shows 

 their discordant position over the coal-measures ; and indicates the 

 characters, both in which they differ and agree with the corres- 

 ponding members of the English series. 



In a Paper on the geology of the shores of the Gulf of La Spezia, 

 beautifully illustrated by sections and drawings, Mr. De la Beche 

 describes a long series of stratified and unstratified rocks. Among 

 the former may be enumerated, beds of clay, sandstone, and con- 

 glomerate, supposed to be tertiary ; beds of macigno ; the marble 

 of Porto Venere; the crystalline limestone of Capo Corvo, &c. 

 among the latter, diallage rock, serpentine, mica schist, &c. He 

 endeavours to show, from the structure of the district and the fos- 

 sils of the neighbouring rocks, that the marble of Porto Venere may 

 belong to the age of the oolitic series ; and that the diallage rocks 

 and serpentine are a prolongation of the system of southern Ligu- 

 ria, and have been protruded by igneous action among the depo- 

 sitory rocks, after the period of the oolites. 



Among the contributions to our knowledge of the structure of 

 foreign secondary deposits, -I must lastly notice the communica- 

 tion of Mr. Murchison on the bituminous schist and fossil fish of 

 Seefeld. This singular rock rises to a great elevation among the 

 bare calcareous peaks of the Tyrolian Alps, and contains such a 

 quantity of bituminous matter, probably derived from the animals 

 imbedded in it, that some of its strata are broken up and exposed 

 to a process of distillation, by which a great quantity of what may 

 be called mineral fish oil is extracted for economical use. Among 

 the fossil fish M. Valenciennes of Paris discovered at least four 

 species ; one a clupea, and three distinguished by quadrangular 

 scales, without articulating points, and resembling the Esox osseus; 

 but differing from that genus, both in the form of the tail and the 

 position of the fins. 



There is a large family of fish, made up of many genera and 

 species, and distributed from the old red sandstone to the magne- 

 sian limestone, belonging to the order Malacopterygii abdomi- 

 nales, and particularly distinguished, like the Esox osseus, by a 

 pointed tail, the lower side of which alone is supplied with rays. It 

 is obvious from this description that the Seefeld fish are not com- 

 prehended in that family : and as they are not identified with the 

 fossils of any known formation, we must consider their place as 

 still undetermined. This is at least a safe conclusion ; for minera- 

 logical indications in the calcareous regions of the Alps are of very 

 small value in determining the question. 



During the past year, we have received from Dr. Buckland several 

 additional notices, drawn up with his well known sagacity and sin- 

 gular felicity of illustration, on the characters and distribution of 

 various specimens of coprolites. The results of his inquiries are 

 published in the last Part of our Transactions ; and on that account 

 I am precluded from any further remarks upon them. They belong, 

 indeed, to important discoveries of the former year, and have al- 



