Resume of Recent Scientific Publications. 473 



author inspected, among others, the Goldfields of De Kaap, 

 Lydenburg, and Ehodesia. 



The first chapter deals with the Goldfields of the Kaap and 

 Komati valleys. The rocks of these localities are described as 

 being among the oldest in South Africa, consisting at the base 

 of the valleys of coarse-grained granite, syenite, and pegmatite, 

 while the mountains and hills which separate these are formed 

 of schists, quartzites, conglomerates, and clay-slates, with 

 intrusions everywhere of diorite and other igneous rocks. The 

 gold occurs in the conglomerates, schists, quartzites, along the 

 dykes of diorite, and sometimes even in the diorite. Alluvial 

 gold is also found. 



The various groups of mines in the Kaap area are then 

 described in detail, special attention being shown to those of 

 Sheba Hill, the formation of which is characteristic of the whole 

 district, and the sequence of gold-bearing beds is given. 



In the neighbourhood of the Komati the formation is similar 

 to the above, and the Goldfields of Steynsdorp, Swaziland, and 

 Carolina, the latter especially, are not described at length. 



The second chapter is devoted to the Goldfields of Lydenburg — 

 Pilgrim's Best. Attention is first called to the alluvial workings > 

 which in this district are of some importance, particularly those 

 of Pilgrim's Best, Mac Mac, and Spitzkop. The geological 

 formation is quite different from that of the Kaap-Komati area, it 

 being characterised by thick beds of dolomitic limestone, with 

 layers of auriferous quartz, that at the base forming the Spitzkop 

 and Mac Mac Beefs, and some near the top the Pilgrim's Best 

 Beefs. Both above and below the dolomite there occur layers 

 of sandstone and conglomerate, those at the bottom restiog on 

 the granite, while those above form the summits of the moun- 

 tains. Ores of copper, iron, and manganese have been found. 

 The various mines of the Pilgrim's Best, Spitzkop, and Waterval 

 districts are described in detail ; and as the dolomite occurs in 

 great quantity farther north, the suggestion is made that in time 

 gold may also be found there. 



The third chapter is reserved for Bhodesia, and opens with an 

 account of the topography and vegetation of the country. The 

 great central plateau — the high veld — differs totally from the low 

 veld both in climate and in the nature of the vegetation, which 

 is described in detail. The soil is generally good, and large 

 tracts of country which at present are of no use could be 

 rendered fertile by irrigation. Near the diorite dykes, par- 



