IxXXviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



naturally look for in marine, or even subaerial deposits, with respect 

 to marine or terrestrial forms. It may, I think, also be doubted 

 how far we should adopt the conclusion at which the authors of this 

 memoir have arrived, that both the trap-formations, the one below 

 as well as the one above the freshwater deposit, are of more recent 

 date than the freshwater formation itself, and that the lower trap has 

 been protruded from below, and forced in between the freshwater bed 

 and the underlying sandstone. Prof. Owen has described the cra- 

 nium of a reptile obtained from these underlying sandstones by MM. 

 Hislop and Hunter ; of this fossil he observes that the characters 

 of the skull, as far as he could judge from its condition, leave no rea- 

 sonable doubt of its nature and affinities as allied to the labyrinthodont 

 batrachians, and he has given it the name of Brachyops breviceps. 



A paper in the * Bulk de la Soc. Ge'ol. de France,' 1854, p. 500, 

 on the Geology of the provinces of Oran and Algiers, is important 

 on account of the careful comparison which has been made by M. 

 Bayle of a large collection of the fossils brought by M. Ville from 

 that part of Africa with their European analogues. Several Jurassic 

 forms belonging to the middle oolitic series are identified, but a still 

 greater number of lower cretaceous fossils have been recognized in 

 the next overlying series. Amongst these fossils, however, are 

 found several which have a close analogy with oolitic forms, and 

 two oolitic Ammojiites are especially mentioned. The nummulitic 

 series is of considerable extent, and is characterized by the Nummu- 

 lites Icevigatus. In the tertiary beds which follow next, almost all 

 the fossils are identified with Molasse species, and are referred there- 

 fore to the Middle Tertiaries. These are overlaid by some upper 

 tertiary beds, which, in the proviuce of Algiers, are very rich in 

 organic remains. A long and important list (p. 511) of these fossils 

 is given, most of which belong to the Sub-apennine period. The 

 beds of the drift period are also of considerable importance, both 

 from their extent, thickness, and the fossils they contain. The 

 upper beds are characterized by land and freshwater shells, whilst 

 along the sea-board the lower beds containe marine shells. All these 

 appear identical with living species. 



To Dr. Foetterle of Vienna, acting under the suggestions and with 

 the assistance of M. Haidinger, the Director of the Imperial Geolo- 

 gical Institute of Vienna, we are indebted for the first attempt to 

 construct a Geological Map of Central, and of by far the greater part 

 of Southern America, extending from lat. 5° north to lat. 3b^ south. 

 We have thus an opportunity of judging of the general ensemble of 

 the numerous rocks of which that vast continent is composed. For 

 the last three years the desire for such a map has been prevalent in 

 Vienna, and its want has been long acknowledged. The first impetus 

 to its construction was given by the Brazilian Consul, M. Sturz, who, 

 while the subject was under deliberation, offered a prize for the best 

 geological map of Brazil. At the same time M. von Martius was 

 preparing a map for his ' Flora Brasiliensis.' We have therefore 

 now two maps ready for colouring. That of Dr. Foetterle is ^jo^o 

 proportion, and is accompanied by a slight notice of the different for- 



