652 BOCKS AJSJ) rOSSILS FKOM FRAlfZ JOSEF LAITD. [NoV. 1 898. 



DiscrssioN (ox the two PEECEDrs^& Papees). 



Dr. J. W. Geegokt expressed his appreciation of the careful 

 observations made by Dr. Koettlitz. He asked why Pavers granite- 

 erratic did not come from Xorth-East Land or from one of the granitic 

 areas of Spitsbergen. He thought that there should be considerable 

 hesitation before accepting the basalt as Jurassic. A single seal- 

 skeleton at the height of 700 feet at Cape Xeale was hardly con- 

 clusive proof of submergence, as bears often carry their prey to 

 some distance. The evidence of the 400-foot terraces, however, 

 was quite convincing. The reindeer-antlers found by Leigh Smith 

 might be explained as due to occasional migrations from Spitsbergen. 

 Eeindeer wander for great distances over the ice. there being 

 evidence that Siberian reindeer occasionally reach Greenland. 



Mr. GooDCHiLi) spoke of the high scientific value of the work done 

 by Dr. Koettlitz. From what he had heard of the paper it did not 

 appear to be certain that the Author had made out any clear case 

 for the occurrence of fossils of undoubted Jurassic age in any of the 

 rocks interstratified with the lavas. It is possible that the fragment 

 of Ammonites Lamherti recorded from the 'basaltic tuff' may be of 

 the same nature as the ejected blocks of older rocks which so com- 

 monly occur in connexion with volcanic ejectamenta. He thought 

 that the granite-block to which reference had been made might have 

 reached the surface by the same means. 



Mr. HrDLESTo>' said that these papers were interesting to Jurassic 

 as well as to Arctic geologists, being supplementary to the very 

 important communication previously made to the Society by 

 Messrs. Xewton & Teall. It was evident that the Pranz Josef 

 archipelago is the remains of a terrigenous deposit which has been 

 preserved from destruction by a capping of basalt : it must not be 

 regarded as an oceanic group. The faunas hitherto discovered 

 appeared to be Jurassic only, and mainly Oxfordian : but the upper- 

 most plant-bed involved in the basalt might possibly be of another 

 period. At all events he did not feel satisfied as to the Jurassic 

 age of any portion of the basalt, notwithstanding the fact that a 

 fragment of Amrnomtes Lamherti had been found in ' basaltic tuff.' 

 The paper did not appear to throw much light on the sections already 

 exhibited, and the speaker expressed surprise, considering the length 

 of time occupied by the Expedition, that so few specimens had been 

 found in situ, but he did not suppose that for this Dr. Koettlitz was 

 in any way responsible. 



Mr. LoBLET thought that Dr. Koettlitz, notwithstanding Arctic 

 climatal conditions and other verv serious obstacles, had accom- 

 plished geological work which was among the most important of 

 the results achieved by the Expedition. 



Mr. E. J. Gaewood and Prof. Waits also spoke, and 3Ir. E. T. 

 Newton replied. 



