Geology and Natural History. 143 
since it is of rare occurrence in the coal. To the west the beds 
occur on the upper parts of the northwestern tributaries of the 
Missouri, 345 miles west of Red River and beyond; at 400 miles 
from led River, near Porcupine Creek, there are many plants 
in the beds, as leaves of Thuja, Sequoia, Taxus, Populus, Salix, 
very abundant. The best of the brown coal afforded Mr. Dawson 
42 to 474 per cent of fixed carbon, 12 to 17 per cent of water, 32 
to 40 per cent of volatile matter, and 2} to 5 per cent of ash. 
None of those examined afforded a coherent coke. 
ocks. 
4, Marine Champlain Deposits on lands north of Lake 
Superior.—Dr. Dawson, in his annual address before the Natural 
History Society of Montreal, May 18th, says that Prof. Bell, in the 
deposits in the vicinity of Montreal, at a height of 547 feet above 
the sea. Dr. Dawson also remarks that in the hills behind Mur- 
ray Bay and Les Eboulements, he has observed these shells at a 
height of at least 600 feet; and also that Mr. serge. has re- 
present level—‘“ that which immediately preceded our own modern 
age”—was cold. The evidence to which he appeals proves the 
existence of a cold climate as regards the waters, that 1s, of cold 
currents on the coast, but no facts are mentioned which tell any- 
thing with regard to the climate over the land. 
6. Fossil Cockroaches from the Carboniferous of Cape Breton. 
(Canadian Naturalist, vol. vii, .\—Mr. Scudder here d 
scribes two new species from two wings discovered by R. Brown, 
_ He names them Blattina Bretonensis and B. Heeri. The 
specimens are on dark shale, and are associated with leaves of 
Sphenophyllum and ferns. 
7. Fossil Elephan wife 
toa letter from Dr. L. G. Yates, of Centreville, Alameda etd 
Le h 
Sciences of Philadelphia, (and published in the Proceedings for 
1874, pp. 18-26), remains of Elephants have been found in Alameda, 
Calaveras, Los Angelos, Placer and Solano Counties; and the 
Mastodon in Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El 
