410 Von Richthojen—Geological Explorations in China. 
Arr. XLIX.— Geological Explorations in China; by Bar 
von Ricutnoren. In a letter to Prof. J. D. Wee: dated 
Peking, Aug. 20th, 1869, and communicated by him for this 
Journal. 
I promisep you, a few days ago, a more detailed account of 
the geological results of my travels in Manchuria and the pro- 
vince of Chi-li than I wished to give before having visited at least 
some of the ee near Peking examined before by Pumpelly. 
I have done this am now acquainted with the most important 
formations viaiabtting in the neighborhood of this capital. 
The southern province of Manchuria has the name Shing-King 
and is divided by the Liao river into Liao-tung and Liao-hsi 
(meaning East and West of the Liao). The course of my travels 
then to the no rtheast, shins this frontier, and to ea folk 
no less in the different provinces of it than it does in other regions 
of the globe. One is easily inclined, on a hasty tour of reconnois- 
sance, ‘to compare the strata in various regions on lithological 
unds, But if I bear in mind the erroneous conclusions arrive 
sa in the European Alps, by geologists who endeavored to deter- 
mine the age of the sedimentary formations on the strength of 
their lithological dosages to the chee of other parts of 
Europe, I t ink I cannot be cautious enough in this new country 
Lithological anlage can here be used as a safe guide only when 
carefully traced from province to province and so on to remote 
regions. Then there is the apparent atone of any great geologi- 
cal events creating disturbances simultaneously over the whole 
region. Ancient deposition continued in one place while it was 
interrupted in another by the dislocation of those strata previously 
deposited. Another difficulty is the scarcity of fossils. I dare 
say that, with the exception of a few plants of the Coal-measures, 
ave discovered all localities of fossils now known to exist. Yet, 
if it is considered that I never received any knowledge of their 
existence (excepting Lake Tai-hu) not even the slightest. hint, from 
either native or foreigner, but that I had to discover every “fossil 
yself in hurrying through the country, it will still be found sur 
pene, that the number of known fossiliferous localities is 80 
I tas that China will, on a closer examination, > i 
te inrgely to the knowledge of the most ancient animal 
the globe. There is another difficulty caused by irips recurrence, 
at different levels, of strata which bear a close similarity to each 
other, This relates chiefly to certain quartzose sandstones of a 
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