1856.] rubidge south africa. 237 



March 5, 1856. 



J. W. Tayler, Esq., W. H. Groser, Esq., H. B. Medlicott, Esq., 

 H. G. Bowen, Esq., T. J. Smith, Esq., T. Moffat, M.D., W. Mat- 

 thews, jun., Esq., were elected Fellows. Prof. Bunsen, of Heidelberg, 

 was elected a Foreign Member. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. Notes on the Geology of some parts q/" South Africa. 

 By R. N. RuBiDGE, M.B. 



(In a letter* to Sir Roderick Murchison, F.G.S.) 



[Abstract.] 



Dr. Rubidge first referred to the occurrence of gold at Smithfield 

 in the Orange River Sovereignty, as detailed in his letter of May 

 1854, published in the Society's Journal, vol. xi. p. 1 ; and stated that 

 several pieces of gold had since been found at the spot described in 

 the letter referred to. Besides being found in the alluvium there, 

 gold was met with in a quartz-vein in the trap traversing the strati- 

 fied rock, — in other quartz associated with the trap, — and in a mass 

 of limestone enclosed in the trap-dyke; — but none in the stratified 

 rock itself (which belongs to the Dicynodon or Karoo Series). 



Dr. Rubidge next alluded to the fossil plants which he there found 

 in the strata ; some of these he referred with doubt to Calamites. 

 Six years ago, also, the author found numerous vegetable remains 

 (some of which were possibly referable to Lepidodendron) at Jackal's 

 Kopf, on the eastern side of the Stormberg Range, in the same for- 

 mation as that of the Drakensberg and Smithfield ; and Calamite-like 

 plants in the western part of the Zuurbergen. The author remarked 

 that the plant-remains above referred to much resembled those col- 

 lected by Mr. Bain at the Ecca Heights in rocks of the Karoo Series. 

 Dr. Rubidge had also found*bones of the Dicynodon near the Caledon 

 River and at Halse's farm six miles from Smithfield. 



From various observations by himself and others, the author had 

 been enabled to recognize the existence of the Dicynodon or Karoo 

 rocks in the Drakensberg, at Harriesmith, at Winburg, and even at 

 Megaliesberg ; and Dr. Sutherland lately described the same rocks 

 as occurring in Natal, where they are rich in coal^. 



The amygdaloid rock which supplies the agate-gravel of the Orange, 

 Caledon, Kroai, and Vaal Rivers appears to exist in the " Mont des 

 Sources " in the Drakensberg, as an unworn specimen was found in 

 the Eland River (a tributary of the Vaal), not more than twelve miles 

 from its source. 



* Dated Namaqualand, April 16, 1855. 



t Some of these plants were sent to Col. Portlock by Dr. Rubidge, and were 

 exhibited to the Meeting of the British Association in 1851, together with some 

 Jurassic fossils from Sunday River. The plant-remains comprised specimens of 

 Pecopteris and other ferns, with Zamia. — Ed. 



X Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xi. p. 465. 

 VOL. XII. PART I. S 



