Ivi PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The treatise on the Tertiaries of the Mayence basin, by the brothers 

 Sandberger, is for all who study the relations of the middle to the 

 lower tertiaries, one of the most valuable contributions to our science 

 during the year. Since, however, we are shortly to have presented 

 to us the results of Mr. Hamilton's prolonged and careful labours 

 in the same region, I shall abstain for the present from any com- 

 ments on an essay of peculiar interest to myself, as well as on other 

 recent German papers, especially those by Beyrich and Dunker, affect- 

 ing the same, or closely allied localities. 



Organic Remains. 



The enormous increase of palseontological observations may be 

 measured by a comparison between the number of species recorded 

 in the first edition of Professor Morris's Catalogue of British fossils, 

 and the number mentioned in those portions of the new edition 

 that have gone through the press, and will shortly be published. 



The number of plants recorded in 1843 was 510; in 1853, 652 are 

 cited. The increase is chiefly among Mesozoic and Tertiary types. A 

 great deal has been done to elucidate the structure and affinities of 

 fossil plants in the interval, especially by Dr. Hooker, jNIr. Charles 

 Bunbury, Prof. King, Mr. Dawes, and Mr. Binney, but not so much 

 towards adding new names to our lists of species. In Fossil Botany 

 this course of proceeding is a sign of advance of knowledge. The most 

 marked increase in number of recorded species is among the oolitic 

 and Wealden beds. The late lamented Dr. Mantell did much of late 

 years towards increasing the latter list. Were ail the known frag- 

 ments of distinct vegetables found in our tertiaries monographed and 

 named in the manner of those I shall have presently to mention, de- 

 scribed and figured in the lately published memoirs by Austrian bota- 

 nists, our lists would be considerably increased. They certainly ought 

 to be made the subject of a treatise, and might be advantageously taken 

 up by the Palseoutographical Society, which, as yet, has given us no 

 separate memoir on British fossil plants. 



The Amorphozoa come next. In 1843, 76 named forms were re- 

 corded. In 1853, the number is increased to 1 16. The increase is 

 in a great measure due to the labours of jSIr. Toulmin Smith among 

 the Yentriculidee, which, notwithstanding the arguments of their in- 

 vestigator in advocacy of their Polyzoan, and consequently Molluscau 

 origin, naturalists are generally of accord to keep in their old place 

 beside the Sponges. 



The Foraininifera, 82 of which are mentioned as named types 

 in the list of 1843, have increased to 168, besides numerous in- 

 dications of unpublished and, as yet, unnamed forms. The next 

 ten years will probably triple the amount of named fossil species 

 of these exquisite minims of creation. The additions are chiefly 

 new identifications of British fossils, with species described by con- 

 tinental authors, especially by Alcide d'Orbigny and Reuss. The 

 merit of determining these is, I believe, in great part due to our 

 Assistant-secretary, Mr. Rupert Jones, whose authority stands very 

 high in all departments of microscopic palaeozoology. Mr. Jones 



